A behemoth defamation lawsuit brought by the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline against Greenpeace began its trial in a Mandan courtroom on Monday. Energy Transfer, a Texas-based oil and gas company, accuses Greenpeace of using underhanded means to back demonstrations against the pipeline in 2016 and 2017.

MANDAN, N.D. ( North Dakota Monitor) – Greenpeace provided supplies, intel and training to demonstrators who spent months camping near the Dakota Access Pipeline river crossing in south central North Dakota, employees said in video testimony played to a Morton County jury on Friday.

Jury selection began Monday in Dakota Access Pipeline's $300 million lawsuit against Greenpeace USA. A federal lawsuit by the company was dismissed but there is a similar one filed in North Dakota state court in 2019.