Katie Couric Sued For Defamation Over Edited ‘Under The Gun’ Documentary Scene

Katie Couric is named in a defamation lawsuit filed by a Virginia gun rights group that is alleging that the Under the Gun documentary was edited to show them in a negative light.

Katie Couric Sued

Couric is being sued alongside Under the Gun director Stephanie Soechtig, Atlas films and Epix. The basis of the $13 million lawsuit is the moment in Under the Gun in which Couric is interviewing The Virginia Citizens Defense League and asks them, “If there are no background checks for gun purchasers, how do you prevent felons or terrorists from purchasing a gun?” In the documentary, the question is followed by nine seconds of silence. In reality, according to VCDL, the group offered a lengthy answer.

“After nearly nine seconds of silent footage — instead of the responses that the VCDL members had actually provided — the Defendants inserted footage of someone closing the cylinder of a fully-loaded revolver, driving home the point that the exchange was over,” the lawsuit states.

The suit continues, “The manipulated footage falsely informed viewers that the VCDL members had been stumped and had no basis for their position on background checks.”

While Soechtig has not denied that the VCDL members offered an answer, she has refuted the suggestion that the pause was meant to malign the VCDL members.

“There are a wide range of views expressed in the film,” Soechtig said in a statement back in May. “My intention was to provide a pause for the viewer to have a moment to consider this important question before presenting the facts on Americans’ opinions on background checks. I never intended to make anyone look bad and I apologize if anyone felt that way.”

Couric has publicly stood by Soechtig, stating that she was “very proud of the film.”

Under the Gun premiered at Sundance back in January to rave reviews.