Case 1:18-cv-01011-RMC Document 42 Filed 08/09/19 Page 13 of 19
Moonbase Holdings’ conduct intentionally or recklessly caused Ms. Dumpson’s emotional
distress.
b. Mr. Ade (Count VIII)
Ms. Dumpson alleges that Mr. Ade’s posts were specifically intended to harass
and inflict emotional distress. Am. Compl. ¶ 233. Mr. Ade repeatedly posted derogatory
messages about Ms. Dumpson, an African-American woman and student, due to her race and
gender. Ms. Dumpson alleges that posting his comments on the Internet for the public to see
constituted extreme and outrageous conduct. Id. ¶ 231. The Court finds that Mr. Ade’s
comments were severely derogatory due to Ms. Dumpson’s race and gender and were not, by
any stretch of the imagination, merely a few isolated statements. Mr. Ade posted nine different
tweets which included posts in which he compared Ms. Dumpson to a gorilla, chimp, and
“sheboon.” Id. ¶ 100. The Court finds Mr. Ade’s messages constituted an intentional campaign
of discrimination based on Ms. Dumpson’s race and gender. Such remarks regarding race and
gender went far beyond the bounds of decency and were intolerable to the average or reasonable
person in a civilized society, much less a university.
Mr. Ade participated in the troll storm initiated by Mr. Anglin and Moonbase
Holdings and intentionally or recklessly directed numerous tweets at Ms. Dumpson. Ms.
Dumpson stated that as a direct result of Mr. Ade’s tweets, she suffered severe emotional
distress. Id. ¶ 234. The Court finds that Ms. Dumpson has met her burden of alleging and
demonstrating a claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress: Mr. Ade participated in
extreme and outrageous conduct, Ms. Dumpson suffered severe emotional distress, and Mr.
Ade’s conduct intentionally or recklessly caused Ms. Dumpson’s emotional distress.
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