By Larry Neumeister

AL.com

June 12, 2022

 

Attorney Larry Klayman complained during arguments before a panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan that Moore wasn't treated fairly when a judge tossed his lawsuit last July. He even compared his client to actor Johnny Depp, saying Moore also deserves to have a jury determine the validity of his claims.

U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan said in his written ruling last year that a 2018 segment with Moore on "Who Is America" — a comedy series in which Cohen plays fictional characters — could not have defamed him because it was "clearly a joke and no reasonable viewer would have seen it otherwise."

Cronan said it should have been "abundantly clear to any reasonable viewer" that Cohen was using humor to comment on accusations in news reports that Moore had had inappropriate sexual encounters, including with a minor.