2008 Woodie Awards
Chronicle libel suit dropped
Issue date: 1/28/08 Section: News
Staff Report
A lawsuit filed by a former dean at SCSU against the University Chronicle was dismissed by Stearns County judge Bernard Boland, and Friday, the Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld that decision.
Richard Lewis, a history professor and dean of the College of Social Sciences from 1997 to October 2003, accused the college newspaper of libeling him in an October 2003 article. The article quoted a former student who said Lewis was anti-Semitic and used racial slurs. Later, the newspaper printed a retraction.
Initially Lewis sued the university and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.
It was ruled by a Ramsey County District Court judge that neither the University nor the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system had editorial control over the newspaper.
Lewis then appealed that decision to the state Supreme Court, which rejected his appeal.
Lewis then sued the student newspaper in the Stearns County District Court, which is where Judge Boland ruled that the Chronicle had no legal duty to refrain from publishing the allegations.
Because Lewis was considered a public figure, he was required to prove the newspaper acted with malice, which is a reckless disregard for the truth, in publishing the statements.
According to Boland, actual malice couldn't be proved, and this is the decision the Court of Appeals agreed with Friday.
A lawsuit filed by a former dean at SCSU against the University Chronicle was dismissed by Stearns County judge Bernard Boland, and Friday, the Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld that decision.
Richard Lewis, a history professor and dean of the College of Social Sciences from 1997 to October 2003, accused the college newspaper of libeling him in an October 2003 article. The article quoted a former student who said Lewis was anti-Semitic and used racial slurs. Later, the newspaper printed a retraction.
Initially Lewis sued the university and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.
It was ruled by a Ramsey County District Court judge that neither the University nor the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system had editorial control over the newspaper.
Lewis then appealed that decision to the state Supreme Court, which rejected his appeal.
Lewis then sued the student newspaper in the Stearns County District Court, which is where Judge Boland ruled that the Chronicle had no legal duty to refrain from publishing the allegations.
Because Lewis was considered a public figure, he was required to prove the newspaper acted with malice, which is a reckless disregard for the truth, in publishing the statements.
According to Boland, actual malice couldn't be proved, and this is the decision the Court of Appeals agreed with Friday.