LIBEL2?
This one strikes a little close to home in a number of ways. The Wilmington News-Journal reports on a defamation/blogging story that involves the paper that got me started blogging. And then there’s this:
But the lawyer for John Doe 1, also known by most people in Smyrna as the mayor, refused, saying his client’s First Amendment right to critical anonymous speech would be violated. However, Slights ruled that free speech comes with the condition that others aren’t defamed by it, and the Cahill’s have been.
John Doe 1’s lawyer, David Finger, has appealed Slights’ ruling to the state Supreme Court. The Supremes must now rule whether Judge Slights’ order to release the identity of the blogger was correct. If, as expected, the high court rules Slights was correct, the defamation suit in Superior Court will proceed. It may even coincide with the lawsuit brought against Schaeffer by Gene Mullen, who lost the April election by two votes because of some mischievous absentee ballots distributed by the mayor.
Those two statements better be factual, or the N-J might be facing a libel suit of its own. I’m not sure the mayor of very small town Smyrna would qualify as a public figure. (Tip credit: Traci)
2 Responses to “LIBEL2?”
![]() Comment by traci July 10th, 2005 at 8:09 pm |
Also note w/ interest that this story was carried in the editorial section of the paper. |
![]() Comment by Ian Lewis July 11th, 2005 at 9:14 am |
I hope the mayor is a good guy, my parents live in Smyrna. BTW, it is a great town. |