In a hearing Thursday morning, a judge ordered The Sun News to release information that may reveal the identity of the anonymous web poster known as Elmer Fudd. The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce says Fudd posted libelous and false accusations against it on a news web site.
In August, someone using the screen name Elmer Fudd logged on to the Sun News Web site, and asked why no news agency was covering a hot story. Elmer Fudd claimed Horry County Sheriff's deputies had raided the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, seizing computers.
The sheriff says no raid ever happened and no computers were taken.
The chamber fired back with a lawsuit that calls Elmer Fudd's postings untrue and defamatory. They want to find out Fudd's identity to pursue damages, so the chamber sent a subpoena to the Sun News.
The newspaper reportedly contacted Elmer Fudd and gave that person until October 2nd to reveal him or herself. If that didn't happen, the news organization said it would turn over its findings to the lawyers.
But then a motion was filed in Horry County court by John Doe, or Elmer Fudd, asking the court to hold off on enforcing the subpoena, until he or she could hire an attorney.
The motion claimed Elmer Fudd has a first amendment right to anonymous speech. The judge denied that motion when no one showed up in court to represent Elmer Fudd.
Cherie Blackburn, the attorney for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, says they expect to get the information regarding Fudd's identity by the end of this week or early next week.
NewsChannel 15 will continue to bring you updates from the courtroom. We'll post details as we get them right here on CarolinaLive.com.
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