Monnik Beer doesn't want to out employee making rape accusations

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A Facebook post on Nov. 13, 2017 led a Louisville business owner to close his bar for several weeks and file a defamation lawsuit. Now, a Louisville brewery is getting involved.

In the Facebook post, an anonymous person accused Haymarket Whiskey Bar owner Matthew Landan of rape.

Landan filed a lawsuit against the woman known as Jane Doe 1 after she accused him of rape in the post, which was then shared 776 times.

In the midst of the lawsuit and multiple countersuits being filed, Judge Audra Eckerle is considering the request from Monnik Beer Company, that seeks to quash a subpoena for information about the woman. The company is asking for a protective order.

>> PREVIOUS STORY: Haymarket Whiskey Bar reopens as owner sues accusers, former employees over sexual abuse allegations

Landan and his attorney, Andrew Horne, want the woman's name and home address provided by Monnik so she can be served in the lawsuit. They say he's never been criminally questioned or charged in any sexual assault and it's his right to sue her for defamation. Landan felt compelled to close his bar for 15 days after the post was widely shared, and another woman commented that Landan may have drugged her drink in response to the post.

They believe the name on the post, Westley Moore, was made up. Horne says Monnik had an event where they were releasing a new beer at the Haymarket Whiskey Bar, when talk came up about Jane Doe 1.

"Two of the other defendants, Mr. Snider [Eric Snider] and Mr. Maggio [Christopher Maggio] the day after the event occurred, in conversation with Mr. Landan and his corporate counsel that they got information from Monnik management that the woman worked there," Horne explained.

Horne filed a response saying if the company has information they need, they should honor the subpoena. He says his client deserves that response considering he's been harassed and stalked.

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"There were pictures posted on Facebook of his home and his car from the outside so they had to be at his home to do that." Horne continued. "Because he's of Jewish decent he had the Daily Stormer, the Nazi Online magazine, write some articles about him and he's been stalked on-line by people.

Horne said he would have been willing to work with the company to get discovery privately without the court's involvement. But he believes the accusations are so serious that his client deserves to get Jane Doe 1's name.

Monnik Attorney Kevin Monsour did not return our phone calls Tuesday.

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