Court Sides with Alabama Newspaper over Public Official’s Libel Claim

An Alabama appeals court has ruled in favor of an Anniston newspaper that was sued by a city councilman who claimed he was libeled in a story published in February 2009.

The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals upheld a lower court decision dismissing councilman Benjamin Little’s claim that The Anniston Star libeled him in a story about a statement made by another councilman. The other councilman, John Spain, had questioned the council’s hiring of a consultant to audit the city’s human resources practices.

The newspaper reported Spain as saying there were rumors that Little had “a personal relationship” with the consultant and pushed for her hiring, according to court records.

Little claimed the story and a subsequent editorial were false.

Court records show the newspaper later ran a correction stating that the entire council, not just Little, ordered the hiring of the consultant. The correction said the newspaper did not allege that there was a relationship between Little and the contractor.

An attorney for Little said he plans to ask the Alabama Supreme Court to review the ruling.