The Seattle Times reports that as threatened, Dole Foods has filed a lawsuit against a Swedish documentarian, accusing director Fredrik Gertten of defamation and asking for a permanent injunction that will prevent his film, “Bananas!” from being shown publicly.
According to the Times, the film “ documents the alleged plight of Nicaraguan workers who say they were made sterile by the pesticide DBCP used at Dole banana plantations in the 1970s. It even accused Dole of causing the deaths of banana workers, something not alleged in lawsuits.” However, the courts have ruled that the accusations against Dole actually were part of an extortion plot against Dole, “a scheme that could have cost Dole $40 billion in damages.”
In filing suit against the filmmaker, Dole said that “to screen, promote, and profit from this film, despite the fact that its entire premise has been adjudicated a fraud ... is the epitome of reckless and irresponsible conduct.”
Gertten says that he has not been convinced by the court rulings in favor of Dole, and hopes that his free speech rights will be upheld.
According to the Times, the film “ documents the alleged plight of Nicaraguan workers who say they were made sterile by the pesticide DBCP used at Dole banana plantations in the 1970s. It even accused Dole of causing the deaths of banana workers, something not alleged in lawsuits.” However, the courts have ruled that the accusations against Dole actually were part of an extortion plot against Dole, “a scheme that could have cost Dole $40 billion in damages.”
In filing suit against the filmmaker, Dole said that “to screen, promote, and profit from this film, despite the fact that its entire premise has been adjudicated a fraud ... is the epitome of reckless and irresponsible conduct.”
Gertten says that he has not been convinced by the court rulings in favor of Dole, and hopes that his free speech rights will be upheld.
- KC's View:
- I’m as big a free speech advocate as anyone, but this one just strikes me as deliberately ignoring proven facts.
