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Shaw v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
818 F. Supp. 1539 (1993)

Written by Craig Conway, LLM

Facts

Michael Shaw (plaintiff) filed suit for slander against his former employer, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) (defendant), after an RJR employee informed Dorothy Giantonio, a customer, that he had been fired for allegedly stealing 60 cartons of cigarettes from another customer’s warehouse facility. Shaw had been employed by RJR for 18 years and worked as a sale representative until he was terminated. Shaw was charged with criminal theft, tried, and acquitted of the charges. RJR filed a motion for summary judgment.

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Holding and Reasoning (Kovachevich, J.)

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