Minnesota Twins Reprisal

This surveillance video is the primary evidence in Jason Gabbert v. Minnesota Twins, LLC, (Case No. 27-CV-20-10459). This surveillance video was recorded on Aug. 17, 2018 at Target Field.

The video's contents are:

A ball is tossed into the crowd by Twins catcher Bobby Wilson. Gabbert (in dark shirt) comes down the aisle at the center of the frame. He stops next to the second row, peering into the row for the baseball. Carol Stenback steps into the aisle, wraps her arms around Gabbert's torso and forcefully pushes him backward. Gabbert moves around and away from Stenback and enters the row, standing/leaning in front of Brad Haddy, who is standing in front of his seat. After several seconds, Gabbert leaves the row. As he walks up the aisle, he turns and points at Stenback to inform usher Bonnie Kunze that Stenback had pushed him.

The Minnesota Twins exploited this incident to justify banning Gabbert from Target Field for a year in retaliation for his frequent criticism of racism toward Black people inside and outside of Target Field by Twins employees.

When Mr. Gabbert challenged the ban in court, the Twins submitted three sworn and notarized affidavits into evidence:

Dave Horsman, Twins Vice President of Ballpark Operations), stated in an affidavit: “At the conclusion of the top of the 7th inning, Mr. Gabbert attempted to retrieve a baseball that had been thrown into the stands and, in so doing, had a physical altercation with at least two guests who were seated in Section 6. Upon receiving a report of the incident, I reviewed the surveillance video of the incident and determined that Mr. Gabbert was the aggressor in the physical altercation with the guests in Section 6.”

Haddy, who is an attorney in Edina and Mendota Heights, stated in an affidavit: “I noticed a man, who I later learned was Jason Gabbert, forcing his way into the row directly behind our row and then he tried to force his way into our row in an effort to grab the baseball. The man tried to go over Carol and me to get the baseball, and he made physical contact with both of us. . . . As the usher was able to lead (Mr. Gabbert) away, he said something like, “get your hands off of me” or "don't touch me” to me and Carol, which was surprising because he was the one who initiated physical contact by trying to go over us to get the baseball.”

Stenback, who works as an attorney for Thomson Reuters, stated in an affidavit: “I turned to my left to look for the ball and noticed a large, looming presence coming toward me, which was a man who was apparently trying to retrieve the ball. I put my arms out in an effort to prevent the man from barreling into our row, but it did not work. The man, who I later learned was Jason Gabbert, shoved his way into our row and he went over Brad and me to try to grab the ball. As the usher finally was able to lead (Mr. Gabbert) away, he started shouting something like, ‘Don't ever put your hands on me’, which was surprising because I had not put my hands on him. He was the one who initiated the physical contact with me."

A comparison of the video and affidavits confirms the affidavits are patently false and perjurious. The only physical contact between anyone occurred when Stenback physically accosted Gabbert in the aisle.

Horsman viewed the video within minutes of the incident having occurred. Horsman knew Gabbert did nothing wrong, but instead decided to exploit the video as a means of retaliation. Horsman invented a story that Gabbert had been the aggressor in a physical altercation with two fans and instructed his subordinates to support it. In a security report, Kunze said Gabbert “pushed a lady in her seat to try and get the ball. He said she accosted him but it looked like she was trying to push him off of her.” Kunze witnessed the event from only a few feet away. She lied because her boss told her to.

Gabbert tried to challenge the ban in court, but relief was denied due to a lack of legal grounds.

The current lawsuit alleges Reprisal, Defamation, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Unlawful Detainment, Battery and Nonfeasance. Minnesota Ballpark Authority, which leases Target Field to the Twins, is charged with Nonfeasance for failing to compel the Twins to rescind the ban after being notified that the Twins had acted unlawfully.

"It seems these days people are too comfortable falsely accusing others of wrongdoing," Gabbert said. "Too often, we see someone falsely accused of something, only to have video evidence surface showing the truth. This is one of those times. I did not have a physical altercation with anyone. The Twins made it up to retaliate against me for my criticism of racist conduct by their employees. It's a civil and criminal act of wrongdoing."