Yesterday we reported that Len Dykstra’s defamation lawsuit against former teammate Ron Darling was dismissed, with the judge finding that Dykstra has such a poor reputation that it’s virtually impossible to libel him.
Today Randy Miller of NJ.com ran an interview he conducted with Dykstra yesterday that suggests, if anything, the judge understated things. And which contains statements that put Dykstra in a pretty prime position to be sued for defamation himself.
In the story, Dykstra claims, without any evidence whatsoever, that Ron Darling -- who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and underwent surgery for it last year -- “faked his cancer,” and that “the Wilpons knew all about it, and they’re in on it.” He claims has has “documented proof” of his claim, though provided none of it to Miller. Miller previously reported that Dykstra “had some dirt” on Darling, but this is the first time he has publicly accused Darling of faking his cancer diagnosis and treatment.
He went on:
The interview took place over the phone, Miller reports, as Dykstra stood on the side of a Los Angeles freeway where the Uber in which he was riding had just been involved in an accident. Dykstra speculated that Darling and/or the Mets were involved in the accident, saying “Maybe they tried to have me iced.”
Dykstra further claimed that the judge who dismissed his defamation suit against Darling was bribed, saying “obviously the judge was bleeping paid off or something . . . I don’t give a bleep.”
It’s also worth noting that, before the interview, Dykstra tweeted about his former Phillies teammate Dale Murphy and Murphy’s son, who as we noted yesterday, was shot in the eye by police during a protest in Denver. Yesterday morning, in response to that news, Dykstra tweeted “F*** him and his loser kid.” Miller notes that Dykstra followed up on that yesterday afternoon, tweeting. “No children of Lenny Dykstra have had issues with police resulting from being part of an Antifa mob,” “We Dykstras have proper respect for the men in blue.”
Miller helpfully notes that Dykstra has served considerable time in prison.
As noted, Dykstra it has been determined, as a matter of law, that Dykstra’s reputation is so utterly sullied that he is unable to be defamed. The same, however, would certainly not be found if Ron Darling, the Wilpons, the judge who dismissed Darling’s case, and/or Dale Murphy’s son wanted to sue him.
And, from where I’m sitting, they’d each have very good cases if they decided to go that route.