Phelan v. May Department Stores Co.

The plaintiff Michael Phelan complained against his former employer and superiors, the defendants May Department Stores Company, Michael Geraghty, and Donald Lane, alleging false imprisonment and defamation arising from their conduct *844on July 10, 1998. A jury found for the plaintiff and awarded damages of $1,500 for false imprisonment and $75,000 for defamation. The judge allowed the defendants’ motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict (judgment n.o.v.) on the defamation claim, concluding that the plaintiff had failed to overcome the defendants’ conditional privilege and “doubt-ting]”…