Kentucky Officer Loses Free Speech Suit Over Jan. 6 Attendance

Public defenders beat a free speech retaliation claim brought by a police officer who says he attended the political rally but didn’t participate in the insurrection on Jan. 6.

Five public defenders didn’t deprive Jeffrey Farmer of his First Amendment rights because the letter they wrote to his sheriff about his attendance didn’t qualify as an action under the color of state law, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky ruled Thursday.

• The letter said Farmer was involved in treasonous behavior and fraternizes with racists and White supremacists.
• Outside investigator concluded there was no evidence that Farmer ...