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Slain Author Was Sued By Ex-Minn. Gov. Ventura

The author and former Navy SEAL who was one of two men slain at a Texas gun range was the defendant in a defamation lawsuit by former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The author and former Navy SEAL who was one of two men slain at a Texas gun range was the defendant in a defamation lawsuit by former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura.

Ventura sued ``American Sniper'' author Chris Kyle in federal court in Minnesota over a portion of the book that claims Kyle decked Ventura in a 2006 bar fight over unpatriotic remarks he claimed Ventura made.

Ventura, who's also an ex-SEAL, says the altercation never happened.

Kyle's Minneapolis attorney, John Borger, says he's ``shocked and terribly saddened'' by Kyle's death.

But he says it's ``way too early'' to determine how it will affect the lawsuit.

Texas authorities have charged a 25-year-old former Marine as a suspect in Saturday's shootings of the 38-year-old Kyle and the other man.

(Photo Credit: CBS News)