On January 20, 2009, an Oklahoma County jury returned separate verdicts in favor of DSDA client KWTV and another Oklahoma City television station denying the plaintiff’s claims for defamation and false light invasion of privacy. The case involved on-air reporting about a theft. The police released, and the television stations showed, a surveillance video of the suspect to get the public to assist in identifying and locating the suspect. One of the suspects identified was Linda Stewart who sued alleging that the news reports were defamatory. At trial, the judge instructed the jury that Ms. Stewart had not committed any criminal act.

While the plaintiff elicited some sympathy because of her having been sought by police through the media for crimes the judge instructed the jury that she did not commit, the nine-woman, three-man jury deliberated only two hours before returning verdicts against the plaintiff and in favor of KFOR and KWTV on both the defamation and false light claims.

Congratulations Doug Dodd and Mike Minnis! Job well done.