Villeret v. Jeffer
Supreme Court of Louisiana
Appeal from Twenty-First Judicial District Court, Parish of Iberville; C. K. Sehwimg, Judge. Action by A. W. Villeret against Israel Jeffer. Judgment for plaintiff, and defendant appeals.
1Opinion of the CourtProvosty, J.
This is an action for slander. The defendant is alleged to have told several persons that plaintiff had stolen his cow, and that he would prosecute him criminally.
[1] Defendant urges that he honestly believed the assertion to be true, and had probable cause for so believing. This, however, is not a good defense to a suit of this kind. Nothing short of the truth itself will suffice. Even the truth is no defense in some states; the reason being that the law frowns upon scandal, and will not excuse the defamation of a person unless the occasion justifies, or, in legal parlance, is privileged. If…
2Cases cited1 opinion
- Lester v. CorleySupreme Court of Louisiana · 1893