$5.5 million libel lawsuit against Davis Square residents, former editor dropped

Ron Newman reports Jonathan Monsarrat's lawyer has filed a motion to dismiss Monsarrat's lawsuit against him, former Somerville Journal editor Deb Filcman and 100 unnamed people with prejudice, which basically means Monsarrat can't file it again.

Pursuant to the provisions of Mass. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(1)(i), the Plaintiff, Jonathan Graves Monsarrat, in the above-captioned matter, hereby files and gives notice of dismissal, with prejudice and without costs to either party, as to Deb Filcman, Ron Newman, the Doe Defendant identified as Doe Defendant "srakkt" in paragraph 51 of the Amended Complaint, whose real name is Richard James Scheffler of Somerville, Massachusetts, and John and Jane Does 1-99, as defendants in the Amended Complaint.

Monsarrat had sued Newman, Filcman and 100 "John and Jane Does" over online comments about the way he was arrested in 2010 after a wild party involving underage teens; the charges against him were eventually dismissed.

Botn Newman's lawyer and a lawyer for the Somerville Journal's owners not only contested the allegations, they threatened a counter-suit for the filing of a frivolous lawsuit.

Ed. note: Good news for me, too, since I was threatened with inclusion in the suit.