First Amendment
Condit Defamation Suit Tossed
A Phoenix judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by former U.S. Rep. Gary Condit over a claim he lied to investigators about his relationship with an intern.
The Sonoran News, an Arizona weekly newspaper, included the statement in a 2005 story, the Associated Press reports. The intern, Chandra Levy, was found dead in 2002 in a Washington, D.C, park. No one has been charged with her murder.
Judge Kristin Hoffman said Condit was a public figure and failed to show the newspaper published the statement with a reckless disregard to the truth, AP says.
