(Credit: Fox News)

Seth Rich’s parents’ lawsuit against Fox News was thrown out.

Rich is the Democratic National Committee staffer who was murdered in 2016. Rich’s parents, Joel and Mary Rich, sued in March claiming that Fox News “sought to take the conspiracy theory from the fringe to the front pages and screens of the mainstream media.”

How? Fox News published a story claiming Rich leaked DNC e-mails to WikiLeaks and was murdered because of it. Fox News later retracted that story.

Judge George B. Daniels ruled this week that the Richs’ lawsuit failed “to adequately allege essential elements of the causes of action asserted,” Politico reported.

“It is understandable that Plaintiffs might feel that their grief and personal loss were taken advantage of, and that the tragic death of their son was exploited for political purposes,” Daniels said according to the Daily Beast. “However, a general allegation that Defendants had an ‘agreement to collaborate against’ Plaintiffs cannot form the basis for an IIED [intentional infliction of emotional distress] claim.”

iMediaEthics has written to Fox News. Suyash Agrawal, the lawyer for the Richs, told iMediaEthics by e-mail, “Joel and Mary Rich are, of course, disappointed in the trial court’s decision, but they look forward to vindicating their rights on appeal.”

Daniels also dismissed a lawsuit from private investigator Rod Wheeler.

Hat Tip: Mediaite