In November, a jury awarded former UVA administrator Nicole Eramo $3 million after concluding that Rolling Stone and writer Sabrina Rubin Erdely had defamed her with their now infamous 2014 story “A Rape on Campus.” The magazine was in the process of appealing the ruling, but on Tuesday announced that they’d reached a settlement with Eramo for an untold sum, and that she was subsequently dropping her suit.
“We are delighted that this dispute is now behind us, as it allows Nicole to move on and focus on doing what she does best, which is supporting victims of sexual assault,” said one of Eramo’s lawyers in a statement reported by several media outlets, including The New York Times and The Washington Post.
Rolling Stone’s statement, via their parent company Wenner Media—whose recent sale of Us Weekly has been partially attributed to financial troubles associated with this lawsuit, and the one still pending against them from UVA frat Phi Kappa Psi—was less detailed: “Rolling Stone, Sabrina Rubin Erdely and Nicole Eramo have come to an amicable resolution. The terms are confidential.”
Rolling Stone and Phi Kappa Psi were in court last week debating subpoenas the magazine is requesting. From the C-VILLE Weekly:
At the April 5 hearing, the attorney for the national Phi Kappa Psi organization argued it was a separate legal entity from the local chapter. Rolling Stone’s subpoenas seeking information from all 99 chapters was “absolutely invasive” and “absolutely unnecessary,” said attorney Dirk McClanahan. “They don’t need to hunt down our dirty laundry.”
While the local chapter will produce the documents requested, he said, “The guys in Des Moines who are busted for hazing or drinking are categorically irrelevant.”
Rolling Stone attorney Jonathon Fazzola disagreed and said embarrassing members affect both the national organization and chapters throughout the country. “They’re inextricably linked,” he said.
That jury trial is scheduled for October.