Emerson v. Garner

BROOKS McLEMORE, Special Judge.

This is a defamation case. The defendant, Riley C. Garner, is the Shelby County Trustee. The plaintiff is the former assistant trustee and general office manager of the Office of County Trustee who the trial court held to be a private citizen and not a public officer or public figure. The case was tried to a jury which rendered a general verdict awarding the plaintiff “the amount of ten thousand dollars punitive damages only.” After such verdict, in response to questions put to the jury by the trial judge, the jury specifically found (1) that the defendant spoke…