Miles v. McGrath

The question presented in this case may be briefly stated as follows: May a private citizen maintain an action of libel against an officer of the United States Navy for alleged defamatory statements made regarding such-citizen, in a written communication from such' officer to one of his superiors?

The matter arises on a demurrer to the, declaration. The jurisdictional averments are sufficient. There are a number of grounds set out in the demurrer, the first one of which raises a question which goes to the crux of the whole ease. Are the statements libelous? The court concludes as to that point…