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COMICAL CRITICISM Alec Peters’ possible next legal target, Sandy Greenberg, himself regularly takes aim at Peters, as demonstrated by this meme Greenberg posted on Facebook. Image/We ❤️ Axanar Memes Facebook group
APRIL 24, 2019 | 5 MIN READ
Peters Takes Aim at More Legal Targets
Axanar producer prepared to spend ‘tens of thousands of dollars’ pursuing critics
Is Alec Peters’ lawsuit against former Axanar director Robert Meyer Burnett only the first of many? An email from Peters indicates his desire to strike back at his most ardent critics.
See also: Loss of Warehouse Spurs Donations
Taking Legal Action
In the February 24 email to AxaMonitor editor Carlos Pedraza, Peters expresses his frustration with two vocal Facebook critics, Shawn O’Halloran and Sandy Greenberg.
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O’Halloran, who often takes a comical approach to criticizing Peters, isn’t surprised, given Peters first threatened to sue him three years ago. Once an Axanar supporter, Greenberg was booted from the film’s Facebook group for asking the wrong questions. His criticism of Peters has since been unrelenting.
Embarrassing Peters accuses the two — and unnamed others — of “Go[ing] after me personally, posting fraudulent and Photoshopped bullshit to embarrass me, then I am going to take action.”
Current Suits
Peters also brags about his prospects in the two lawsuits he’s currently pursuing against Burnett and Hero Prop owner Tiana Armstrong: “I have started two lawsuits this year against people who owe me money. … I will win both cases.”
Peters’ lawsuit against Burnett demonstrates he’s not bluffing about suing more people, he says, adding, “the Rob lawsuit should be a wake up call. … Being nice hasn’t worked.”
The Real Target
It appears Peters most wants to shut down the constant criticism leveled at him in the AxaMonitor Facebook group, saying, “I am happy to spend tens of thousands of dollars on lawyers.”
Outreach to AxaMonitor
Not on the list: Curiously, AxaMonitor itself (and its editor, Pedraza) is exempt from Peters’ legal ire. Peters wrote Pedraza with the email marked “personal and confidential.”
No such thing: In his email reply Pedraza reminded Peters the two have no pre-existing agreement as to confidentiality regarding any communication between them; because Peters knows Pedraza is a reporter whatever he reveals has no reasonable expectation of confidentiality.
Peters did complain about Pedraza’s coverage of him and Axanar in AxaMonitor, but added:
You want to attack me, stalk me, lie about me, and post your bullshit for years, I probably won’t sue you.1)
Longer List?
Though his email specified only O’Halloran and Greenberg, Peters indicated more people were in his sights, but first things first:
After I finish with Rob I am coming after those who perpetrate defamation and cyberstalking. And the discovery will open up a whole can of worms you guys can’t handle. It will be interesting to see how many lawsuits it will take before you shut down your hate group.
Offer to Talk
Pedraza offered to talk with Peters, and, “before going down a litigious road,” suggesting Peters reach out to O’Halloran and Greenberg, even to seek third-party mediation, in exchange for not quoting his email. Peters never took Pedraza up on the offer.
Dim View of Peters' Threat
Greenberg reacts: In a statement to AxaMonitor, Greenberg said he doesn’t find Peters’ bravado impressive, contending Peters:
- Is legally inept: “First off, his filing suit against Burnett has been a train crash of ineptness.”
- Can’t prove defamation: “To prove defamation he’d need to show that something I said was untrue [and] prove I was willfully incorrect.”
- Must sue in England: Greenberg says Peters would have to sue him in the United Kingdom, where he resides.
- Make Axanar : “If he wants me to go away, instead of spending tens of thousands on litigation he should just make the damn film. In short, I’m not worried.”
O’Halloran reacts: For his part, O’Halloran asserts Peters “continues to overestimate his own prowess and underestimate those who he who he feels are his ‘enemies.’” From O’Halloran’s statement:
- Ineptness: “Considering how spectacularly [the Burnett] lawsuit has blown up in his face … does he really think that it’s a good idea to take that chance with any of us?”
- Unafraid: “If this current litigation … against Burnett is any indication of the level of incompetence and complete lack of legal acumen that I can expect… let’s just put it this way: I’m not exactly quaking in my boots over here.”
- Strong-arming: “Peters would seem to be, once again, attempting to abuse the legal system in order to strong-arm the defendant into acquiescing to his demands.”
- Failed before: Both O’Halloran and Greenberg point to the last time he sued someone for defamation. The case was thrown out and the court awarded damages to the defendant, Jason DeBord — $26,000 Peters has never paid.
- ‘Rain hellfire’: O’Halloran warns legal action by Peters would be a mistake, saying, “I will consider that a direct threat to my wife and children and I will rain hellfire on him, legally, in such a manner that he could never possibly imagine.
Is Peters Bluffing?
Despite his bluster, Peters’ former PR director and close advisor, Mike Bawden claims Peters chose to pursue the Burnett suit because he represented the lowest hanging fruit, legally.
Opportunistic Bully
In an email to Peters just two days after Peters wrote AxaMonitor, Bawden called the Axanar producer an ”opportunistic bully“ for going after Burnett instead of Peters’ critics:
Compared to what you’ve threatened and refused to do with [former tech chief] Terry McIntosh, [AxaMonitor editor] Carlos Pedraza, [Alpha Waves Radio host] Michael Hinman, [ardent Facebook critic] Sean O’Halloran, [former Axanar director] Christan Gossett and an unending list of people who have said bad things about you … [it] looks like you’ve decided to file suit against the one guy [Burnett] you were sure didn’t have the financial resources to fight you in court.