Westhouse v. Biondo

KATHIANNE KNAUP CRANE, Judge.

Plaintiff, Raymond Westhouse, filed a defamation action against defendant, Mary Ann Biondo, alleging she defamed him in letters she sent to his two employers, the Jennings police chief-and the U.S. Customs Service. The trial court granted summary judgment in defendant’s favor. On appeal plaintiff contends the trial court erred in finding he was a public official and thus required to show that defendant acted with actual malice in publishing letters that defamed him. Defendant further argues the court erred in finding he did not and could not present sufficient…