Author Scott McEwen — who collaborated with the late Chris Kyle in writing the book “American Sniper” — bumped into Jesse Ventura on a Mexican beach last week and begged the former pro wrestler to drop his libel case against Kyle’s widow.
The best seller — subtitled “The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History’’ — tells of a 2006 incident at a bar in Coronado, Calif., when Kyle allegedly interrupted Ventura’s harangue against Navy SEALS, President George W. Bush and US military policy by punching him in the face.
Ventura, the former governor of Minnesota, filed a suit claiming there was no punch. After Kyle was killed last year at a Texas gun range by a former Marine, Ventura replaced Kyle as defendant with his widow, Taya, the executor of his estate.
“The murder trial in Texas is scheduled for May, the same time as the civil trial in Minnesota,” McEwen told me yesterday. “I feel sorry for her and the kids. It’s a difficult time for her.”
McEwen recently ran into Ventura in Cabo San Lucas. “I think it’s best if the nature of our conversation remains confidential,” McEwen said. “I am hoping he can be sensible so [Taya], and [Ventura], can both get on with their lives.”
The San Diego-based McEwen was in New York to launch his latest book, “Eyes on Target,” a collection of stories about the Navy SEALs — including what happened in Benghazi, where a retired SEAL sniper with a small team held off 100 terrorists while his repeated radio calls for help were ignored.
McEwen is thrilled Clint Eastwood will start filming “American Sniper” this spring, with Bradley Cooper playing Kyle, dubbed the “Devil of Ramadi” by Iraqi enemies who put a bounty on his head as he racked up 160 confirmed kills.
“I hope I have that much energy when I’m 83,” McEwen said. “Initially, Steven Spielberg was going to direct it, but I think Eastwood is perfect. This is his kind of project.”