Security News > 2020 > September > Tesla wins defamation counterclaim against Gigafactory whistleblower

Tripp is the former Gigafactory technician who, after a brief stint at the Nevada facility in 2018, went to the press as a whistleblower with claims that defective battery packs in Tesla's Model 3 line of cars had become so much of a problem that Tesla was unable to meet the production target set by boss Elon Musk - 5,000 flash motors a week.

Tripp countersued Tesla claiming defamation and false light.

"The court agrees with Tesla that Tripp must show actual malice, but cannot, and alternatively agrees none of the statements Tripp challenges were false," wrote Judge Du in her summary judgement.

There was a small win for Tripp in that "The Court [was] persuaded by Tripp's argument that his actions could not have caused the declines in Tesla's stock price proffered by Tesla's damages expert" - meaning Tesla's theory that Tripp's disclosure would have hurt Tesla stock's market cap.

In short, Judge Du had seen enough: Tripp has no grounds to countersue, Tesla wins this round, lock up the evidence, everyone go home.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2020/09/21/teslas_tripp_defam_summary_judgement/