Lemons v. Chronicle Publishing Co.

Plaintiff appeals an order of the circuit court of McLean County dismissing his action for libel. Plaintiff had been arrested, charged, and convicted on a number of charges arising out of an attempt to shoplift goods from a department store. A local newspaper, The Pantagraph, published three articles regarding these occurrences by which plaintiff claims to have been defamed. Two issues are presented on appeal: (1) whether the trial court erred in denying plaintiff’s motion for default; and (2) whether the trial court erred in dismissing the action. We affirm.

On December 20, 1989, two…