Lawsuit Against NBC News’ ‘Predator’ Can Move Forward

[WI_DEM]

A California judge has denied NBC’s motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by a man featured in a “To Catch a Predator” operation.

Variety reports District Court Judge Edward Chen Thursday denied NBC’s motion to dismiss the case filed by Anurag Tiwari over a 2006 undercover sting operation in Petaluma, CA.

The two felony counts against Tiwari were dismissed, and he is suing the network for defamation, emotional distress and invasion of privacy based on the humiliation caused when police allegedly arrested him with unnecessary force at the behest of “Predator” producers.

Tiwari argues the sting cost him his job as a software engineer.

“To Catch a Predator” is no longer in production, but reruns can be seen occasionally on MSNBC. The show has prompted lawsuits from the family of a man who was to be the subject of a report and who later committed suicide, as well as someone who worked on the series. In August, charges were dropped against another man who was also part of the 2006 operation in Petaluma.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/lawsuit-against-nbc-news-predator-can-move-forward_b95193