Here is what's in the Haymarket Whiskey Bar owner's lawsuit over rape allegation

A Courier Journal story published late Wednesday broke the news of a defamation lawsuit filed by Matthew Landan, the sole owner of Haymarket Whiskey Bar.

The suit is a response to a widely shared Facebook post, published Nov. 13, that called Landan a rapist and led to immediate backlash against both him and his bar.

Defendants named in the lawsuit include the woman who published the original post as well as a second woman who publicly said Landan drugged her.

Additional defendants include two former employees who walked off their jobs.

The latest: Here's what's going on with Haymarket Whiskey Bar

Background: Haymarket Whiskey Bar reopens as owner files suit against woman who said he raped her

The lawsuit represents only one side of a case.

Courier Journal reporters exchanged dozens of messages with the women in an attempt to verify they had made the allegations posted on Facebook, but the women denied the requests and said they were not ready to share their stories.

Sexual violence is historically underreported and there are a number of reasons why survivors choose not to come forward. Courier Journal does not name anyone who says they are a victim of sexual assault or harassment.

Attorney Andrew Horne, who represents Landan and his bar, said the suit likely will be amended as new information becomes available.

Here's how it breaks down now.

THE PLAINTIFFS

Both Landan and Haymarket Whiskey Bar are listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which was filed electronically Wednesday.

Landan previously owned Derby City Espresso, a coffee shop and bar that was transformed into Haymarket in 2014. The bar, at 331 E. Market St., is "considered by some to be one of the premier whiskey bar's (sic) in the country," according to the suit.

The bar has been included on lists published in Esquire magazine, Men's Journal and Travel & Leisure, among other publications, the lawsuit states.

THE DEFENDANTS

The lawsuit names four individuals as defendants along with a number of unknown defendants who it says have either defamed or stalked the bar owner.

The defendants are:

Defendant 1

Who: The woman who said Landan raped her in a Facebook post that included a photograph of him with an overlay reading "MATTHEW LANDAN IS A RAPIST."

Why: The lawsuit accuses the woman of making false and malicious statements against Landan. It also says she falsely claimed she was contacted by other women who said Landan had raped them, too.

Defendant 2

Who: A second woman who wrote on Facebook that Landan drugged her drink.

Why: The lawsuit accuses the woman of also making false and malicious statements against the bar owner.

Eric Snider and Christopher Maggio

Who: Former Haymarket Whiskey Bar employees who walked off their jobs following the rape allegation.

Why: The lawsuit accuses Snider and Maggio of engineering the walkout of all Haymarket employees. It also states that Snider and Maggio "attempted a low ball purchase" of the bar and accuses them of purposefully devaluing the business to aid the purchase.

Unnamed defendants

Who: People yet to be named who intentionally defamed or stalked Landan.

Why: The lawsuit states that multiple unidentified people "for no legitimate purpose, engaged in an intentional course of conduct meant to seriously alarm, annoy, intimidate or harass" Landan. Actions such as the posting of Landan's personal information online were "made as explicit and implicit threats" against the bar owner, the suit states.

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THE DAMAGE

The statements from the defendants exposed Landan to "public disgrace, humiliation, ridicule, contempt and/or to induce an evil opinion of him in the community," the suit said.

It claims the "sustained damage" to his reputation warrants punitive damages. The lawsuit additionally seeks a trial by jury and attorney fees.

Bailey Loosemore: 502-582-4646; bloosemore@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @bloosemore. Darcy Costello: 502-582-4834; dcostello@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @dctello. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/baileyl.