Callahan v. Westinghouse Broadcasting Co., Inc.

The plaintiff appeals following judgments on jury verdicts for the defendants in his libel action against the Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, Inc., and one of its reporters. The plaintiff was a member of the Boston Licensing Board at the time of the alleged libels and admittedly was a public official. He thus acknowledges that under applicable principles of constitutional law he had the burden of persuading the jury by “clear and convincing proof” that the defendants had knowledge of the falsity of their statements or that they acted in reckless disregard of the truth. See Stone v. Essex…