E. W. Scripps Co. v. Cholmondelay

HOWERTON, Judge.

This appeal arises from a libel judgment by the Kenton Circuit Court, jointly against the appellants, a publishing company, its editor and a reporter. The jury awarded the appellee $32,500.00 for compensatory damages, and $100,000.00 for punitive damages.

On April 18, 1974, the appellee, Donnie Cholmondelay (hereinafter referred to as Donnie), age 12, and Jeff Girdler (hereinafter referred to as Jeff), age 11, got into a fight. As Jeff proceeded to raise himself off the ground, Donnie hit him on the head. Apparently, this one blow caused Jeff to go into a coma, and to die…