Family wins $1.4M in lawsuit over online harassment

WASHINGTON (AP) A Virginia man and his family have won a $1.4 million judgment in their lawsuit charging he was harassed online so badly that he tried to kill himself.

The Washington Post reports a Loudoun County jury last month found Michael Basl liable for stalking, defamation and intentionally inflicting emotional distress on the family of 33-year-old William Moreno of Sterling.

Moreno’s family sued in January. They claimed Basl, a member of the online forum Fairfax Underground, was behind pranks that caused Moreno to attempt suicide. The hoaxes included someone impersonating Moreno and writing that he had killed his parents and would soon kill his sister. This caused police to storm the family’s house.

Basl denied the allegations and said he will ask a judge to set aside the verdict.