Dillard Department Stores, Inc. v. Felton

Steele Hays, Justice.

Appellee was formerly employed at a warehouse of appellant Dillard Department Stores, Inc., and brings this action for defamation based on statements by supervisory employees of Dillard accusing him of theft. The trial court sitting with a jury awarded appellee $2,000 compensatory damages and $5,000 punitive damages. For reversal, appellant contends, first, the defamatory statements relied upon by the appellee did not exceed the qualified privilege existing under the law and there was no substantial evidence that the statements were made with express or implied malice;…