Jury finds Greenpeace at fault for protest damages, awards pipeline developer more than $660 million

[Lando Lincoln]

Jury finds Greenpeace at fault for protest damages, awards pipeline developer more than $660 million
North Dakota Monitor
Mary Steurer
March 19, 2025

A Morton County jury on Wednesday ordered Greenpeace to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline, finding that the environmental group incited illegal behavior by anti-pipeline protesters and defamed the company.

The nine-person jury delivered a verdict in favor of Energy Transfer on most counts, awarding more than $660 million in damages to Energy Transfer and Dakota Access LLC.

https://northdakotamonitor.com/2025/03/19/jury-finds-greenpeace-at-fault-for-protest-damages-awards-pipeline-developer-hundreds-of-millions/

[Wingnut]

Shop an appeal judge.  It will be reversed.

[Elderberry]

By Laura Paddison, CNN 3/19/2025

A North Dakota jury on Wednesday found Greenpeace liable for millions of dollars in damages to a giant pipeline company in relation to protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline nearly a decade ago.

Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners sued Greenpeace for $300 million in 2019, accusing the environmental group of masterminding the protests, spreading misinformation and causing the company financial loss through damaged property and lost revenues.

After a three-week trial, the 9-person jury took two days to return their verdict.

The result is a huge blow to the 50-year-old environmental organization, which previously said that the case could bankrupt its US operations, and experts say it could have chilling implications for free speech.

“I think this is one of the worst First Amendment decisions in American history,” said Marty Garbus, a civil rights lawyer who has been monitoring the trial. “The decision is beyond comprehension.”

Other experts have criticized the lawsuit as an egregious SLAPP lawsuit — a strategic lawsuit against public participation that seeks to silence critics by burying them in exorbitant legal costs.

More: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/19/climate/greenpeace-found-liable-protests/index.html

[rangerrebew]

Jury finds Greenpeace liable, ordered to pay hundreds of millions over Dakota Access oil pipeline protests
Story by Louis Casiano • 10h

The environmental group Greenpeace has been ordered by a North Dakota jury to pay more than $660 million in connection with protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline’s construction.

Dallas-based Energy Transfer and subsidiary Dakota Access accused Netherlands-based Greenpeace International, Greenpeace USA and funding arm Greenpeace Fund Inc. of defamation, trespass, nuisance, civil conspiracy and other acts.
 
Greenpeace USA was found liable for all counts, while the others were found liable for some. The damages owed will be spread out in different amounts over the three entities.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/jury-finds-greenpeace-liable-ordered-to-pay-hundreds-of-millions-over-dakota-access-oil-pipeline-protests/ar-AA1BgYbX?ocid=widgetonlockscreen&cvid=683106d2353b4da4b98be5fd0ce052aa&ei=42

[verga]

They are Eco terrorists.

[Smokin Joe]

I hope the State of North Dakota was party to this and can recoup the millions it took to keep those protesters from completely destroying the property around them, not to mention the clean up costs for hauling over 720 semi loads of trash and debris out of an area prone to flooding in the spring. Some "water protectors".

[Mod2]

Merged 3 topics

[Lando Lincoln]

Merged 3 topics

Thanks for the housekeeping!

[Lando Lincoln]

I hope the State of North Dakota was party to this and can recoup the millions it took to keep those protesters from completely destroying the property around them, not to mention the clean up costs for hauling over 720 semi loads of trash and debris out of an area prone to flooding in the spring. Some "water protectors".

I know some people in NoDak who are very pleased with this verdict. I’m told the actual deliberations were less than a day. The article says two. Perhaps the court stood in recess?

I’ll ask about NoDak’s participation.

[Smokin Joe]

I know some people in NoDak who are very pleased with this verdict. I’m told the actual deliberations were less than a day. The article says two. Perhaps the court stood in recess?

I’ll ask about NoDak’s participation.

If not active as a plaintiff, this definitely opens the way for North Dakota to sue as well.

Greenpeace website response: https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/energy-transfer-lawsuit-verdict/

We believe in what we did at Standing Rock, and that ultimately we will prevail against this meritless lawsuit.

I guess they believe in leaving 720 semi loads of trash and debris in an area often inundated during spring break-up, a dead body in a blue tarp in a creek, and even abandoning puppies, not to mention mutilated and injured livestock and millions in property and infrastructure damage.

Eff 'em. If it hadn't been for the KGB seed money they got in the '70s, they would have remained crackpots in zodiacs howling about whales.

[Lando Lincoln]

There appears to be several subplots to this story. The original lawsuit sought $300 million. The ruling came in at $666.9 million. The news record is quite incomplete.

[Fishrrman]

Good on the pipeline company for suing and having the perseverance to follow through.

This will end up like that case of [was it?] Oberlin v. the bakery.

It's gonna drag on a while.

But in the end, Greenpeace will have to pay.

[Smokin Joe]

Good on the pipeline company for suing and having the perseverance to follow through.

This will end up like that case of [was it?] Oberlin v. the bakery.

It's gonna drag on a while.

But in the end, Greenpeace will have to pay.

In the end, some lawyers will get paid.

[libertybele]