Thomas J. Tacket v. General Motors Corporation, Delco Remy Division

BAUER, Circuit Judge.

In 1985, someone painted “Tacket Tacket What A Racket” on the wall of General Motors’ Anderson, Indiana assembly plant. It was a reference to Thomas J. Tacket, at the time an employee at the plant. The stenciled letters may seem harmless to many, but Tacket claimed that General Motors’ failure to remove the message defamed him and irreparably damaged his reputation. To say litigation ensued would be an understatement. Tacket filed his defamation action in Indiana state court, and General Motors removed it to the federal district court. After a jury trial on February 17,…