Look, we all know the news has been a bit dramatic lately. But one woman from Ohio is taking that drama to federal court. Sarah Jenkins, a 34-year-old project manager from Columbus, is suing ABC News for $4.7 million because they aired footage of her during a breaking news segment about a wanted fugitive. Her face. On national television. Next to the words "armed and dangerous."
According to court documents (which I did not read, because I have a life, but I skimmed a tweet), Jenkins was just walking out of a Target in 2022 when a local news crew filmed her looking confused and holding a bag of discounted Halloween candy. That clip somehow ended up in an ABC News package about a guy who robbed three banks with a garden hose. Was she the robber? No. Did she look like the robber? According to ABC's lawyers, "vaguely." Which is lawyer-speak for "we needed B-roll and she was there."
Jenkins says she lost her job, her boyfriend, and her dignity. Her boss reportedly saw the clip and asked if she "needed a lawyer for the bank thing." Her boyfriend left her because "the vibes were off." And her mother now calls every Sunday to ask if she's "still on the FBI's list." Brutal.
ABC's defense is basically: "It was a two-second clip. Nobody remembers. Also, have you seen the news lately? Everyone is angry, the graphics are loud, and our anchors are basically reading tweets on air. Mistakes happen." Which is a bold strategy. It's like a bull in a china shop saying, "The plates were already cracked."
Now, I'm no legal expert. I once got a jury summons and faked a fever. But this case has "settlement" written all over it. Because if this goes to trial, every local news station in America is going to have to explain why they use the same five stock clips of people looking at their phones for every single crime story. And nobody wants that.
The real issue here? This woman is suing for $4.7 million, which is the exact amount of money it costs to buy a house in a decent neighborhood, a used Prius, and three years of therapy. She's not wrong to be mad. But is she "life-changing settlement" mad? Probably not. She's "ABC sends her a fruit basket and a $50 gift card to Target" mad. Which, if we're being honest, is still a better outcome than most of us get from the news.
In the end, this is just another reminder that if you're going to walk out of a Target in Ohio, maybe don't look suspicious. Or do. Because apparently, that's how you get on national TV.
**Opinion:** This is peak American energy—turning a two-second clip into a seven-figure lawsuit while the actual news gets buried under a pile of clickbait. ABC should settle, give her a show, and let her monetize the chaos like everyone else.