Scientist

Jury Awards Ex-BlueCross Scientist Over $687K for COVID-19 Vaccine Dismissal on Religious Grounds

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Chattanooga, TN – A Tennessee federal court has awarded more than $687,000 to a former BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee scientist after she was dismissed for not receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, citing religious beliefs. The decision, which could influence the way companies handle similar cases, underscores the conflicts between employer policies and individual rights under religious freedom protections. Tanja Benton, a longtime employee with over 17 years at BlueCross BlueShield, held a position as a bio statistical scientist before her separation from the company. The legal proceedings established that her refusal of the vaccine stemmed from … Read more

Climate Scientist Michael Mann Awarded $1M in Defamation Case Against Conservative Writers

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Washington, D.C. – Climate scientist Michael Mann has been awarded $1 million by a jury in a defamation trial against two conservative writers. The lawsuit, filed 12 years ago, was prompted by the writers’ comparison of Mann’s global warming depictions to those of a convicted child molester. Mann, a professor of climate science at the University of Pennsylvania, gained prominence for his “hockey stick” graph illustrating a warming planet. However, his work also attracted skeptics, including the defendants in this case. The trial centered around comments made by the writers regarding Mann’s research. In 2012, … Read more

Climate Scientist Michael Mann Wins Defamation Lawsuit Against Conservative Writers, Awarded $1 Million in Damages

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WASHINGTON (AP) — In a landmark defamation case, climate scientist Michael Mann emerged victorious on Thursday as a jury ruled in his favor against two conservative writers. The writers, Rand Simberg and Mark Steyn, were found guilty of making false statements about Mann, including accusations of data manipulation and comparisons to a convicted child molester. The jury ordered each writer to pay $1 in compensatory damages to Mann. In addition, Steyn was ordered to pay $1 million and Simberg $1,000 in punitive damages for their malicious intent. The case originated from a blog post and … Read more

Climate Scientist Michael Mann Faces Intense Attacks and Threats for Research on Global Warming

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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania – Michael Mann, a climate scientist and the director of the Center for Science, Sustainability & the Media at the University of Pennsylvania, has faced a barrage of attacks from oil, gas, and coal companies and climate change deniers. These attacks were prompted by Mann’s groundbreaking research, which included the creation of a graph known as the “hockey stick” graph. This graph illustrated the unprecedented rise in global temperatures and was incorporated into reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The disputes surrounding Mann’s research centered around the statistical analysis used … Read more