Sacha Baron Cohen has defeated Roy Moore's $95 million defamation lawsuit.
The lawsuit came about after the former Alabama judge appeared alongside the British comedian in a segment for Showtime Who Is America? program, which aired back in 2018.
However, unbeknownst to 75-year-old Moore, Cohen was dressed up as one of his alter-egos - an anti-terrorism expert named Erran Morad.
The controversial Republican politician appeared on the show after being told that he would be receiving a prize in honor of his support for the state of Israel. But during the segment, Cohen pulled out what he described as a "pedophile detector" - an electronic device that resembled a hand-held metal detector.
After placing it near Moore, it started to beep, implying that the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama was a pedophile. Annoyed by the sketch, Moore stormed off. Per The Guardian, Moore and his wife, Kayla, launched the lawsuit, arguing that the sketched defamed Moore and caused the family emotional distress
Check out the moment below:But despite bringing a multi-million defamation lawsuit against Cohen, a three-judge panel in the 2nd US Circuit unanimously ruled on Thursday to throw out the case.
As reported by CNN, the Second Circuit stated in its decision that Moore had signed a release waiver prior to taking part in the interview - which barred him from filing future claims for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and fraud.
Moore disagreed, arguing that the waivers were signed under false pretences and therefore unenforcable.
Agreeing with a lower court, the Second Circuit also acknowledged that the segemtn was "clearly comedy" and that "no reasonable viewer would conclude otherwise".
"Humor is an important medium of legitimate expression and central to the well-being of individuals, society, and their government," the ruling explained.
During the segment, Cohen - as Morad - told Moore that "sex offenders and particularly paedophiles secrete van enzyme 4D DHT, which is actually detectable."
"It's three times the level of non-perverts," he added.
On Friday, Moore's attorney Larry Klayman told CNN that he and his client are planning on petitioning the court's decision and calling for a re-hearing. Klayman suggested that the "terrible decision" was made because Moore is a Republican, and at least two of the judges on the pannel were appointed by Democratic Presidents Clinton and Obama.
Meanwhile, Cohen's attorney, Russell Smith, told CNN that "after nearly four years of litigation, it seems Mr. Moore's frivolous lawsuit is finally over."
The Guardian adds that Moore has previously faced allegations of attempting to pursue sexual and romantic relationships with teens when he was a man in his 30s. He denied the allegations and no charges were ever brought against him.
