Stop, Drop and Roll

09 August 2007 | Alameda Truthiness | John Knox White

The jury is no longer out (actually it was a pro-tem judge) on the nail-biter (not really) case:

Howard v. White

The short story: KNOX WHITE WINS!

Andrew Dosa, Pro Tem Judge, found that “a reasonable person would have understood the word ['stalker'] was not used in a defamatory manner. Thus, the Defendant’s [that’s me] us of the word was ‘privileged’ as acceptable speech.”

The ruling goes on to say that “Defendant’s ‘apology’ confirmed defandant’s intentions,” and that the Plaintiff [that’s Mr. Howard], “availed himself of his right to speech, even provocative and ‘harsh’ speech, such as generally used by Defendant.”

The meaning? That in an emotionally charged moment, I delved into childish name calling, but that Mr. Howard himself had done so on many occasions.

I’m sure I’ll have more to say about this at another time, right now, I just want to bask in the knowledge that I was completely exonerated of the ridiculous charge that I had defamed/libeled Mr. Howard and that I had done so purposefully and maliciously.

Read the full decision for yourself here.

Read the motion to strike (which was denied) here.

For some reason, the court clerk wouldn’t upload the motion or exhibit attachments (despite doing so for all other filed documents), these are all public documents filed with the court and presented as a part of the case.