Kolodziej v. Mason

Facts

Over the span of serving to a man accused of quadruple murder, lawyer James Mason (defendant) was interviewed on the NBC news program Dateline about the high-profile case. Mason guaranteed that his client couldn't have carried out the wrongdoings because the client was a few hundred miles away in Atlanta, Georgia, at the time the killings happened in Central Florida. During the meeting, Mason implied to discredit the prosecution's hypothesis of the case, which required his client to have traveled by means of plane to carry out the wrongdoings, and after that fly back to an area in Atlanta within a short time. At a certain point, Mason expressed, “I challenge anybody to show me, and guess what? Did [the prosecution] bring in any evidence to say that somebody made that route …? State’s burden of proof. If they can do it, I’ll challenge ‘em. I’ll pay them a million dollars if they can do it.” The interview was broadcasted after Mason's client was indicted by a jury and condemned to death. However, NBC altered Mason's remarks to state, “I challenge anybody to show me—I’ll pay them a million dollars if they can do it.” Dustin Kolodziej (plaintiff), a law student, saw Mason's interview, acknowledged Mason's challenge, and continued to videotape himself effectively making the trip. Kolodziej recorded suit against Mason in federal district court in Texas after Mason declined to make payment. The district court allowed Mason's motion for summary judgment, holding that Mason's hyperbolic proclamation coordinated at the prosecution did not add up to a unilateral offer that could be accepted by Kolodziej. Kolodziej appealed.