Task: 329830
CHARLESTON -- Simons Promotions, its owner and West Virginia Baseball, LLC are suing an individual for defamation and causing them to suffer a loss of profit for a boxing and mixed martial arts event.
Ernest Butch Hiles and Butch Hiles Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA, LLC, which is doing business as Advanced BKJ and/or the WV Games were the defendants named in the suit.
Between August 2006 and June 2012, Steve Simons entered into agreements with West Virginia Baseball to use its stadium to put on boxing and MMA events, according to a complaint filed Aug. 22 in Kanawha Circuit Court.
The plaintiffs claim each of the events were profitable endeavors for both Simons and West Virginia Baseball, except for the June 8 event, which did not make a profit due to Hiles' intentional, wrongful, malicious and unlawful publication of false and defamatory statements about Simons.
On or before May 22, Hiles published false statements on the Internet intentionally, maliciously and will full knowledge of their absolute falsity, with the aim of interfering with Simons and Simons Promotions' June 8 boxing and MMA event at Appalachian Power Park, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs claim the defendants' blatantly false publications were that the event at Appalachian Power Park had been canceled and that Simons had been "'kicked out' of another similar venue."
Hiles further interfered with the success of the June 8 event by sending out text messages encouraging potential sponsors not to sponsor any event promoted by Simons and/or Simons Promotions, alleging Simons to be a "complete crock" and a known rip off artist, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs claim Hiles has repeatedly published or has caused to be published false and defamatory statements, including published statements on his Facebook page and in text messages that caused them harm.
As a result of the defendants' intentional, improper and unlawful actions, the plaintiffs have suffered emotional distress; loss of reputation; annoyance and inconvenience; and lost profits, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by Christopher A. Brumley and Philip A. Reale II.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Louis H. Bloom.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 12-C-1688