Sandmann is the Covington Catholic High School junior who was at the center of a controversial encounter between his high school group and Native American activist Nathan Philips at the Lincoln Memorial.
The suit alleges the boy was “defamed for political purposes” by the newspaper. A short video of the encounter, showing Sandmann and Philips face to face with Sandmann smirking, was initially reported. A longer video showing more of the interaction and providing additional context was subsequently discovered and released.
The news reports sparked a national debate about the encounter and rally that featured members from groups like the March for Life, Black Hebrew Israelites and the Indigenous Peoples' March.
L. Lin Wood is leading Sandmann’s legal team.