Jury Decision in Palin’s Case

A Manhattan federal jury determined on Tuesday that The New York Times did not defame former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in relation to an editorial error from 2017. After more than two hours of deliberation, the jury’s verdict concluded a two-week civil trial focused on the implications of the newspaper’s statements about Palin.

The Editorial Controversy

Palin’s legal battle began following an editorial published after the 2017 shooting incident that injured U.S. Representative Steve Scalise. The editorial implied that Palin’s political action committee fostered a violent political climate through their rhetoric, notably referencing a map that featured crosshairs over electoral districts where certain Democratic candidates, including Gabby Giffords, were targeted.

The Times swiftly issued a correction to the editorial within 14 hours of its publication, acknowledging that it “incorrectly stated that a link existed between political rhetoric and the 2011 shooting,” and admitted to mischaracterizing the previously discussed map.

Palin’s Testimony and Legal Arguments

During her testimony, Palin expressed that the editorial’s allegations had led to increased death threats against her and significant emotional distress. Her attorney, Kenneth Turkel, argued that the editorial page editor at the time, James Bennet, demonstrated either knowledge of the misinformation or acted with “reckless disregard” for the truth when the editorial was published. Turkel urged the jury to grant compensatory damages for the harm to Palin’s reputation.

The Times’ Defense

Representing The New York Times, attorney Felicia Ellsworth contended that there was no evidence of intentional wrongdoing or malice. She emphasized that the case primarily hinged on proving “actual malice,” a heightened standard for public figures like Palin. Ellsworth maintained that the editorial error was genuinely inadvertent and that the Times acted quickly to set the record straight.

Previous Rulings and Trial Background

Prior to this trial, Judge Jed S. Rakoff had dismissed Palin’s claims in 2022 while the jury was considering the case. However, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the case, indicating procedural flaws in the previous proceedings that warranted a new trial.