Libel is a thought that should terrify all writers and editors. It is a serious way of wronging a person by harming someone's reputation through the printed word. A suit for libel can result in large damage awards. Now, it is important to note a few things about the law of libel. Most importantly, if something is true, it cannot be libelous.
Truth is absolute defense to a claim of libel.
In the eyes of the law, the truth cannot cause a wrongful injury to your reputation. The truth may, however, be an invasion of your privacy. That is unlikely in reporting about crime, because a criminal is usually deemed to have waived his right to privacy. Furthermore, even if the printed material is inaccurate, it may not be a libel. For a reporter or a newspaper to be held liable, the untruth must have been printed with either a negligent or a reckless disregard for the truth.