Ryan Zimmerman’s lengthy libel and slander lawsuit against Al Jazeera took another pivot Thursday.
What was set as an initial scheduling conference instead turned into a presentation for the parties’ interests in exploring a settlement in the case, which began Jan. 5, 2016, when Zimmerman filed a libel lawsuit against Al Jazeera in U.S. District Court following the airing of the documentary, “The Dark Side” which suggested Zimmerman had used performance-enhancing drugs.
The court has ordered the parties to file a joint status report by June 28 that notifies the court of the parties’ progress with settlement discussions and how the parties wish to proceed.