A supporter of Jarryd Hayne, Mina Greiss, found herself in the midst of a legal battle after being accused of inappropriate behavior towards Hayne’s rape victim. Despite denying the allegations, Greiss was awarded nominal defamation damages after a court ruling. The incident unfolded outside a courthouse in May 2021, where Greiss was accused of spitting at the victim.
The court found that Seven Network had falsely reported that Greiss had “stared down” and spat at the victim. However, it was established that Greiss did engage in disgraceful behavior outside the courthouse, leading to the award of nominal damages. In the midst of the legal proceedings, it was revealed that Greiss had shown overt hostility towards the victim, prompting the defamation lawsuit.
Seven Network managed to prove contextual truth defense for their news article and a tweet related to the incident. Despite this, Greiss was deemed to have engaged in behavior that ordinary people would find contemptible towards a sexual assault victim. In light of these findings, nominal damages were awarded to Greiss for the harm caused to her reputation and her feelings of shame, anger, embarrassment, and distress.
The legal saga surrounding Jarryd Hayne’s case continues to unfold, with various individuals and entities facing scrutiny for their actions and statements related to the matter. The case serves as a reminder of the complexities and consequences that can arise in high-profile legal battles involving sensitive issues like sexual assault allegations.