Ben Roberts-Smith Appeals Defamation Lawsuit Loss, Argues ‘Blooding the Rookie’ Statement in War Crimes Case Has Different Meaning
SYDNEY, Australia – Lawyers representing Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated living soldier, argued in court that statements referring to “blooding the rookie” may have only involved lawful killing in combat, rather than proof of an unarmed Afghan being executed. The remarks were made during an appeal hearing in the Full Court of the Federal Court after Roberts-Smith lost a defamation lawsuit to Nine Newspapers last year. Roberts-Smith filed the lawsuit in 2018 against the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and Canberra Times over their reporting of war crime allegations. However, his case was dismissed by … Read more