Kathryn Knott is facing another legal challenge stemming from her involvement in a 2014 gay bashing in Philadelphia.
Kathleen O’Donnell, of Norristown, filed a federal lawsuit Friday, claiming she unjustly lost her job after posting Internet comments about Knott. O’Donnell is seeking punitive damages of at least $5 million, as well as compensatory damages of at least $150,000.
Named in the suit are Knott; her father, Karl Knott; Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler; and two Bucks County detectives. Karl Knott is a captain in the Central Bucks Regional Police Department and former Chalfont police chief.
O’Donnell said detectives visited her house last year in regards to an online profile she created on Disqus — a Web-commenting tool — under the name “Knotty is a Tramp.” O’Donnell used the account, which she described as a “parody,” to post comments on stories about Knott’s case. Knott, along with Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams, were arrested for an attack on a gay couple in Center City.
O’Donnell says in her filing that the detectives told her she would be arrested if she didn’t cease using the account, accusing her of “impersonating” Knott. The detectives also visited her place of employment about the issue, and she was fired that day.
The suit contends the defendants acted in a conspiracy to restrict O’Donnell’s free-speech rights.
Knott remains incarcerated after being sentenced in February to five to 10 months in prison for her role in the gay-bashing incident. Williams and Harrigan are free after plea deals.