People v. Gotay

The defendant was convicted of criminal libel and sentenced to pay a fine of $200. The information set up and the proof tended to show that the defendant was the author of a publication that imputed to the House of Representatives or the members thereof the acceptation of bribes to influence their vote on a measure definitely named in the publication.

At the trial the defendant presented no evidence. He did not attempt to show that the statements in the newspaper were true and published with good motives and for justifiable ends, as set out in the statute. He relied on the defense that the…