HARRISBURG, Pa. ― A federal judge has scheduled a Nov. 14 hearing to determine whether former Penn State president Graham Spanier’s defamation suit against former FBI director Louis Freeh should be heard in federal court or in Centre County where it was filed.
U.S. District Judge Malachy Mannion has so far indicated that Freeh hasn’t done enough to show why Spanier’s pending lawsuit should be in federal court.
Spanier’s attorneys have filed notice they intend to sue Freeh for defamation. Freeh criticized Spanier’s handling of the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal in an investigative report the university paid Freeh to prepare.
Freeh’s attorneys want the case moved to federal court by claiming he and his law firm don’t have Pennsylvania ties, among other issues. Cases can be moved to federal court if the opposing parties are from different states.
