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Libel And Slander - Privilege Of "Fair And Accurate Report'' Of Judicial Proceedings-Non-Liability Of Vendor Of Newspaper, Ralph E. Helper

Michigan Law Review

Defendant newspaper published a false account of plaintiff's testimony in a criminal trial. In an action for damages for libel against the newspaper and the local distributor of the papers who had no knowledge that libels were contained therein, held (1) privilege to report judicial proceedings applies only to a correct report, even though the inaccuracy be the result of an unintentional mistake; and ( 2) that the vendor is not liable in absence of knowledge that the newspaper contained libelous matter or knowledge of extraneous facts to put him on guard. Bowerman v. Detroit Free Press, 287 Mich. …