Burson v. Edwards

Jul 1, 1848
Reporters:

SLANDER. Plea, not guilty. Verdict and judgment for ‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‍plaintiff.

The Court instructed the jury, inter alia, as follows: “The facts of uttering the slanderous words at ‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‍divers times show malice, and ought to be taken in view by the jury in ‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‍aggravation of damages.”

Held, that this was wrong. Evidence of the repetition of the slander is ‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‍admissible to prove the alleged malice, but not to aggravate the damages. Forbes v. Myers, 8 Blackf. 74.—Lanter v. Ewen, Nov. term, ‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‍1847.

The judgment is reversed with costs. Cause remanded, &c.