BENTON – Computer game writer Chris Avellone of California and Karissa Barrows of Belleville settled his defamation suit against her.
Mediator Wayne Skigen of Edwardsville reported the settlement to U. S. District Judge Staci Yandle on March 13, and she vacated a December trial date.
Attorneys Timothy Parilla and Anand Mathews of Chicago filed Avellone’s complaint in September, claiming Barrows made false statements to destroy his reputation and career.
They claimed her statements went viral and had the effect she intended.
“Avellone brings this action to expose the truth and vindicate his reputation,” they wrote.
Parilla and Matthews claimed Barrows wrote on social media that Avellone was an abusive, abrasive, conniving predator.
They claimed she wrote, “You’ve abused star power to victimize women.”
They added that media outlets repeated her story and published additional quotes.
They claimed three gaming studios terminated Avellone's contracts in ten days in 2020.
Parilla and Matthews also claimed Barrows deleted about 60,000 tweets from 2009 to 2017, including tweets complimentary toward Avellone.
They claimed her statements were completely false and Avellone never abused or assaulted her or any other woman.
Daniel Allender of Los Angeles answered for Barrows in November, stating her tweets spoke for themselves.
He claimed she deleted tweets in response to a harassment campaign from Avellone’s fans, “to protect her privacy and the privacy of her family members.”
He added that constitutional guarantees of free speech barred Avellone’s suit.
Allender claimed none of Barrows’s statements was made with actual malice.
“Each and every alleged statement by Barrows was either true, substantially true, or a statement of opinion,” he wrote.
He also claimed Avellone’s reputation was so diminished that Barrows couldn’t have damaged it further.
Their positions placed them far apart, but mediator Skigen closed the gap.
Yandle gave them 60 days to consummate the settlement.