Greenpeace asks judge to overturn $667M verdict in pipeline protest case

Attorneys for Greenpeace are seeking to overturn a $667 million jury verdict awarded to the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline, arguing the decision was driven by bias rather than fact, according to the North Dakota Monitor. During a hearing Tuesday, Greenpeace attorney Everett Jack said the jury aimed to "punish someone who was involved in the protests." The March 19 verdict followed a three-week trial in Morton County, where jurors found Greenpeace liable for defamation, trespassing and other damages tied to protests in 2016 and 2017.

Energy Transfer, the pipeline’s developer, is urging Southwest Judicial District Court Judge James Gion to uphold the full award. Greenpeace attorneys contend the evidence presented did not meet legal standards for defamation and emphasized that only Greenpeace USA had a limited presence at the protests. Gion has taken the motions under advisement.