LOS ANGELES, CA – November 14, 2025 – The Los Angeles Superior Court denied an anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Kelley | Uustal on behalf of the estate of an Afghan contractor killed by the Taliban after his identity was discovered because of a documentary film.
The victim, who the lawsuit refers to as John Doe to protect his remaining family, served with the National Mine Reduction Group, and worked alongside U.S. Army Special Forces to clear explosive devices. He was filmed for a National Geographic documentary about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The lawsuit alleges that despite warnings from military personnel that showing unobscured faces of Afghans would pose a danger, filmmakers chose to do so. Within days of the release, clips featuring him went viral in Afghanistan. The Taliban abducted, tortured and ultimately killed him, showing him videos from the documentary while berating him for assisting U.S. forces.
Defendants, including Our Time Projects LLC, National Geographic Partners LLC, The Walt Disney Company, and others, filed a special motion to strike under California’s anti-SLAPP statute, arguing their documentary was protected speech on a matter of public interest.
“This ruling affirms that the First Amendment does not provide blanket immunity when filmmakers knowingly create foreseeable risks of deadly harm,” said John Uustal, founder of Kelley | Uustal. “The court recognized that companies have responsibilities, especially when their actions could get people killed.”
Kelley | Uustal Trial Attorneys argued that the defendants created foreseeable third-party harm and editorial decisions are not protected as the First Amendment does not shield publishers who knowingly expose subjects to danger. The denial of this anti-SLAPP motion allows the case to proceed to discovery and trial.
“This is just the first step,” said Uustal. “We look forward to presenting the full evidence of how other factors were prioritized over human life.”
About Kelley | Uustal
Kelley | Uustal Trial Attorneys is a trial law firm based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a national reputation for taking on complex, high-stakes litigation against powerful corporations. The firm has secured numerous precedent-setting victories and multi-million dollar verdicts for clients harmed by corporate negligence and misconduct.
Case Details:
Rory Pendergast, as Personal Representative of the Estate of John Doe v. Disney Platform Distribution, Inc., et al.
Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. 25STCV11859
Media Contact: Press@kulaw.com
