Nation/World

Fox News reaches settlement with parents of slain DNC staffer Seth Rich

WASHINGTON - Fox News has reached a settlement with Joel and Mary Rich, the couple who sued the network over a discredited story promoted on air about the 2017 death of their son, Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich.

Rich, 27, was fatally shot in Washington, D.C., in what local police described as a botched robbery, but his death spawned a web of conspiracy theories, as well as a FoxNews.com story that was later retracted for not meeting “editorial standards.” The Riches claimed the network “intentionally exploited” their son’s murder for political purposes, and sued them in 2018 for emotional distress.

On Tuesday, the parties filed a joint notice in a U.S. District Court in New York dismissing the lawsuit. Neither side disclosed the terms of the settlement.

“The settlement with Fox News closes another chapter in our efforts to mourn the murder of our beloved Seth, whom we miss every single day,” the Riches said in a statement released by their lawyers. “We are pleased with the settlement of this matter and sincerely hope that the media will take genuine caution in the future.”

Fox News said in a statement: “We are pleased with the resolution of the claims and hope this enables Mr. and Mrs. Rich to find a small degree of peace and solace moving forward.”

Rich’s death became a focal point of the right-wing Internet, centered in part around the debunked claim that his death was retaliation for DNC emails released through WikiLeaks.

FoxNews.com published a story that it retracted six days later, inaccurately connecting Rich to the DNC hack. The story was also promoted on air during “Fox and Friends,” by host Lou Dobbs and by opinion host Sean Hannity, despite the protestations of the Rich family.

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Rich’s parents on Tuesday said: “We now look forward to devoting as much time and energy as we can to family and to preserving Seth’s memory as a blessing.”

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The Washington Post’s Paul Farhi contributed to this story.

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