Reynolds v. Pegler
Encyclopedia
Reynolds v. Pegler, 223 F.2d 429 (2nd Cir.
1955), was a landmark libel decision in which Quentin Reynolds
successfully sued right-wing columnist Westbrook Pegler
, resulting in a record judgment of $175,001.
The case has its origins in a heated dispute between liberal journalist Heywood Broun
and conservative Westbrook Pegler
. Broun died in 1939, but ten years later, author Dale Kramer wrote a book about Broun's life entitled "The Heywood Broun His Friends Recall".
Quentin Reynolds wrote a review of this book for the New York Herald Tribune
book review which was published November 20, 1949. In the book review, Reynolds wrote that in 1939, Pegler had called Broun a liar. Reynolds further wrote that Broun was so distraught over this allegedly false charge that he was unable to sleep or relax, and that as a result, Broun, who was suffering only a cold, died.
The review infuriated Pegler, who regarded the review as a charge of "moral homicide". Pegler lashed out in a response entitled "On Heywood Broun and Quentin Reynolds" in the Hearst Corporation
paper New York Journal American
. Pegler reiterated his belief that Broun was indeed a "notorious liar" who was a "dirty fighter" that "made his living at controversy". Pegler also dismissed any suggestion that he had been responsible for Broun's death.
However, Pegler did not stop at denouncing the late Broun. Pegler went on to personally attack Reynolds, asserting that "Reynolds and his girl friend of the moment were nuding along the public road"; that "as Reynolds was riding to Heywood's grave with her, he proposed marriage to the widow". Pegler accused Reynolds of being "one of the great individual profiteers of the war" and claimed Reynolds had been involved in fraud involving war contracts. Pegler also accused Reynolds of cowardice, and said he had been exposed by people who had "peeled him of his mangy hide and nailed it to the barn door with the yellow streak glaring for the world to see".
In response to the article, Reynolds sued both Pegler and his publisher, the Hearst Corporation, for libel. The jury awarded Reynolds $1 in compensatory damages and $175,000 in punitive damages. At the time, it was the largest libel judgment ever.
Reynolds v. Pegler inspired the 1963 Broadway play "A Case of Libel" by Henry Denker, which was itself later adapted into two TV movies. The case was also detailed in a 1962 book by Reynold's attorney Louis Nizer
entitled "My Life in Court."
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals...
1955), was a landmark libel decision in which Quentin Reynolds
Quentin Reynolds
Quentin James Reynolds was a journalist and World War II war correspondent.As associate editor at Collier's Weekly from 1933 to 1945, Reynolds averaged twenty articles a year...
successfully sued right-wing columnist Westbrook Pegler
Westbrook Pegler
Francis James Westbrook Pegler was an American journalist and writer. He was a popular columnist in the 1930s and 1940s famed for his opposition to the New Deal and labor unions. Pegler criticized every president from Herbert Hoover to FDR to Harry Truman to John F. Kennedy...
, resulting in a record judgment of $175,001.
The case has its origins in a heated dispute between liberal journalist Heywood Broun
Heywood Broun
Heywood Campbell Broun, Jr. was an American journalist. He worked as a sportswriter, newspaper columnist, and editor in New York City. He founded the American Newspaper Guild, now known as The Newspaper Guild. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he is best remembered for his writing on social issues and...
and conservative Westbrook Pegler
Westbrook Pegler
Francis James Westbrook Pegler was an American journalist and writer. He was a popular columnist in the 1930s and 1940s famed for his opposition to the New Deal and labor unions. Pegler criticized every president from Herbert Hoover to FDR to Harry Truman to John F. Kennedy...
. Broun died in 1939, but ten years later, author Dale Kramer wrote a book about Broun's life entitled "The Heywood Broun His Friends Recall".
Quentin Reynolds wrote a review of this book for the New York Herald Tribune
New York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
book review which was published November 20, 1949. In the book review, Reynolds wrote that in 1939, Pegler had called Broun a liar. Reynolds further wrote that Broun was so distraught over this allegedly false charge that he was unable to sleep or relax, and that as a result, Broun, who was suffering only a cold, died.
The review infuriated Pegler, who regarded the review as a charge of "moral homicide". Pegler lashed out in a response entitled "On Heywood Broun and Quentin Reynolds" in the Hearst Corporation
Hearst Corporation
The Hearst Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in the Hearst Tower, Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. Founded by William Randolph Hearst as an owner of newspapers, the company's holdings now include a wide variety of media...
paper New York Journal American
New York Journal American
The New York Journal American was a newspaper published from 1937 to 1966. The Journal American was the product of a merger between two New York newspapers owned by William Randolph Hearst: The New York American , a morning paper, and the New York Evening Journal, an afternoon paper...
. Pegler reiterated his belief that Broun was indeed a "notorious liar" who was a "dirty fighter" that "made his living at controversy". Pegler also dismissed any suggestion that he had been responsible for Broun's death.
However, Pegler did not stop at denouncing the late Broun. Pegler went on to personally attack Reynolds, asserting that "Reynolds and his girl friend of the moment were nuding along the public road"; that "as Reynolds was riding to Heywood's grave with her, he proposed marriage to the widow". Pegler accused Reynolds of being "one of the great individual profiteers of the war" and claimed Reynolds had been involved in fraud involving war contracts. Pegler also accused Reynolds of cowardice, and said he had been exposed by people who had "peeled him of his mangy hide and nailed it to the barn door with the yellow streak glaring for the world to see".
In response to the article, Reynolds sued both Pegler and his publisher, the Hearst Corporation, for libel. The jury awarded Reynolds $1 in compensatory damages and $175,000 in punitive damages. At the time, it was the largest libel judgment ever.
Reynolds v. Pegler inspired the 1963 Broadway play "A Case of Libel" by Henry Denker, which was itself later adapted into two TV movies. The case was also detailed in a 1962 book by Reynold's attorney Louis Nizer
Louis Nizer
Louis Nizer was a noted Jewish-American trial lawyer and senior partner of the law firm Phillips Nizer Benjamin Krim & Ballon...
entitled "My Life in Court."
Resources
- Louis Nizer. My Life in Court. (ISBN 1-56849-145-X)
- A Case of Libel (1968) at IMDB
- A Case of Libel (1983) at IMDB
External links
- Full text opinion from Public.resource.orgPublic.Resource.OrgPublic.Resource.Org is a 501 non-profit corporation dedicated to publishing and sharing public domain materials in the United States. It was founded by Carl Malamud and is based out of Sebastopol, California. Their motto is “Making Government Information More Accessible”...