Diversified Management, Inc. v. Denver Post, Inc.
Colorado Supreme Court
653 P.2d 1103 (1982)
- Written by Sara Adams, JD
Facts
John Toohey (defendant), a writer for the Denver Post (defendant), published two articles in 1974 which discussed financial dealings of Eugene DeWitt and his company, Diversified Management, Inc. (plaintiffs). The articles covered DeWitt and Diversified Management’s relationship with a banker and various investigations of DeWitt by numerous agencies and government entities. The investigations concerned potentially improper land-development schemes. Some of the lots involved in the schemes were still available for sale. DeWitt and Diversified Management sued for claims including libel. The Denver Post argued that DeWitt and Diversified Management were public figures and that the report implicated matters of public concern. The trial court granted partial summary judgment, holding that some of the statements at issue were not defamatory as a matter of law. At trial, the only remaining claims were those for libel that had not been disposed of by the partial grant of summary judgment. After three weeks of trial, the jury ruled in favor of the Denver Post. DeWitt and Diversified Management appealed the jury verdict.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Rovira, J.)
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