Checked out the Vanderbilt archive to see if they have the piece CNN ran, since I'd like to see it for myself before speaking out against them. Unfortunately, Vandy doesn't have a record for it or anything after the evening news.
What I did find leads me to believe that CNN didn't kill the product... Dix did. Why would I think that? Well, there was a favorable story about Dix and the product in the business section of the New York Times about two years after the CNN story. Combined with info from the Village Voice that Dix sent over 6000 faxes, and I stop thinking of the guy as credible. And when he starts threatening to kill someone (either Ted Turner or a random CNN employee) after sending those 6000 faxes... well... I think he might be a little mentally unstable.
Add that to the fact that he had a patent, ongoing sales, and favorable stories in a number of major media outlets. If J&J sold the device, all the better. Sue them.
The article says he couldn't:
Quote:
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In fact, Sean had been so powerfully wiped out and undone, he could not even afford to sue the giant "partners" for what they had done to him.
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but the US has a slew of contingency fee lawyers. If a person has a credible case, they can find someone to take it on.
As to suing CNN, there isn't a cause of action. There doesn't seem to be any contract breach or libel involved. The newscast sounds like a joking newscast, and it doesn't sound like there are any factually false statements.
Bottom line: Guy got upset over a joking review, didn't go to court to assert his rights, and instead harassed and threatened to kill people, and was arrested for it.