In a recent deposition, Elon Musk denied ever knowing Ben Brody, who accused Musk of defaming him by falsely linking him to a neo-Nazi brawl in a tweet last year. The deposition, conducted via Zoom, took a heated turn as Musk repeatedly denied any wrongdoing towards Brody.

During the deposition, Brody's attorney, Mark Bankston, questioned Musk about his actions towards Brody and whether he believed he had done anything wrong. Musk responded by saying, "I don't know Ben Brody." When Bankston pointed out that Brody had filed a lawsuit against him, Musk countered by suggesting that the real plaintiff was the lawyer seeking monetary gain.

Musk had filed a motion to dismiss Brody's case earlier this year, claiming that Brody was targeting his freedom of speech with the intention of obtaining a substantial payment. The motion argued that if Brody were to win his defamation suit, it could potentially discourage public discussions regarding the identity of crime perpetrators.

Musk also alleged that Brody specifically targeted him because of his billionaire status. He mentioned that Brody had not sued other users who had named him as an alleged brawler on various platforms.

In the deposition, Musk defended his tweet that linked Brody to the brawl, stating that he was merely speculating and had tagged Community Notes to fact-check the information. He argued that claiming someone looks like another person is not an accusation of a crime and, therefore, cannot be considered as defamation.

Bankston questioned Musk about the accuracy of his tweet, considering its widespread reach of over a million views. Musk replied that he strives for accuracy but did not believe that Brody had suffered any significant harm from his tweet.

Brody's complaint alleges that Musk's tweet has caused permanent reputational damage and severe emotional harm. Bankston declined to comment on whether Brody continues to be a target for harassment and death threats.

Musk claimed that he could not recall being asked by Brody to delete the tweet. When questioned about Brody's request for a retraction, Musk remained silent at the advice of his attorney.

It remains to be seen how the defamation case between Musk and Brody will unfold, with Brody seeking a retraction and compensation for the alleged harm caused.