'American Sniper' Widow Says She Has To Pay Ventura
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The widow of "American Sniper" Chris Kyle says she'll have to pay lawsuit damages to former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura out of her own pocket.
Ventura won the lawsuit in July after he claimed he was defamed by Kyle's book.
Taya Kyle says she's on the hook for most of the $1.8 million in damages awarded to the former Minnesota governor.
"Absolutely," said Kyle to the FOX News program "The Real Story." "I think $1.8 million was the total amount, and I think insurance was responsible for $500,000 because of the way the law is written and all that."
Taya Kyle's comments conflict with Ventura's claims that the verdict will be paid by the book publisher's insurance company.
Chris Kyle claimed in his best-selling Iraq War memoir that he punched Ventura at a California bar for making disparaging comments about Navy SEALs, which Ventura denied.
The jury believed Ventura, awarding him $1.845 million, including $500,000 for defamation and $1.345 million for "unjust enrichment."
Taya Kyle's comments come before the Christmas Day release of the film version of the book, starring Bradley Cooper, in which Ventura is not mentioned.
Ventura claimed vindication in August, and said he's not worried about Taya Kyle's bank book.
"She's making millions right now. She's already made millions off the book," Ventura said on WCCO Radio. "She's not hurting. She's doing speaking engagements throughout the country, traveling all over … she probably has more money than I do."
Attorneys for Ventura did not respond to a request for comment.
Ventura is now suing Harper Collins, which published "American Sniper," and which has removed any reference to Ventura in future printings.