Photo: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for Tyler Robinson Foundation and Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic via Getty Images
<p><strong>Shannon Sharpe</strong> is officially off the hook, as a judge recently dismissed <strong>Brett Favre</strong>&#8216;s defamation lawsuit against the sports commentator.</p>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">RELATED: <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/brett-favre-shannon-sharpe-defamation-mississippi-welfare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brett Favre Sues Shannon Sharpe &; Others For Defamation Amid Mississippi Welfare Scandal</a></h5>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Brett Favre Sued Shannon Over His Commentary On The Mississippi Welfare Scandal</h3>
<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-welfare-lawsuit-favre-sharpe-nfl-34e777728532c0d6f779b308c16b0a7b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AP News</a> reports that a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit on Monday (October 30). As <strong><a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/brett-favre-shannon-sharpe-defamation-mississippi-welfare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Shade Room</a> </strong>previously reported, Brett brought the matter on after catching wind of Shannon Sharpe&#8217;s pointed commentary regarding Favre&#8217;s alleged involvement in the <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/37565299/brett-favre-mississippi-welfare-case-line-explained" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mississippi welfare funds scandal</a>.</p>
<p>Specifically, Sharpe said Favre was a &#8220;sorry mofo to steal from the lowest of the low.&#8221; He also said Brett &#8220;stole money from people that really needed that money&#8221; before calling him a &#8220;sleazeball.&#8221; Oop!</p>
<p>Now, <strong>Judge Keith Starrett</strong> has ruled that Shannon&#8217;s statements were an example of &#8220;rhetorical hyperbole&#8221; and protected by Americans&#8217; first-amendment right to freedom of speech.</p>
<p>Additionally, the judge declared that Shannon Sharpe&#8217;s critiques &#8220;are examples of protected, colorful speech referring to needy families in Mississippi.&#8221;</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Here, no reasonable person listening to the Broadcast would think that Favre actually went into the homes of poor people and took their money — that he committed the crime of theft/larceny against any particular poor person in Mississippi.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">Shannon Sharpe Says He&#8217;s &#8220;Glad&#8221; To Put The Matter Behind Him</h3>
<p>In response to the development, Shannon tweeted, <strong><em>&#8220;The court found the statements were protected by the 1st Amendment 2 the Constitution.&#8221;</em></strong></p>
<p>He gratefully added, <strong><em>&#8220;Thanks 2 my legal team and their handling of this case.&#8221;</em></strong></p>
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<p>The sports commentator further discussed the matter on his podcast with <strong>Chad &#8220;Ochocinco&#8221; Johnson</strong>, <em>Nightcap with Unc and </em><i>Ocho</i>.</p>
<p>Sharpe noted that the defamation suit had been dismissed, as &#8220;the court found that [his] speech was first-amendment protected.&#8221;</p>
<p>After acknowledging that he was &#8220;glad&#8221; to have the situation over and done with, Shannon Sharpe added, <strong><em>&#8220;Hopefully, the people in Mississippi have their day in court and everything gets worked out about what transpired down there.&#8221;</em></strong></p>
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