Case Name: Mario Belanich, Respondent, v. James Brophy et al., Appellants
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1998-11-16
Citations: 255 A.D.2d 411
Docket Number: 
Parties: Mario Belanich, Respondent, v James Brophy et al., Appellants.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 255
Pages: 411–411

Head Matter:
Mario Belanich, Respondent, v James Brophy et al., Appellants.
[680 NYS2d 852]

Opinion:
—In an action to recover damages for slander, the defendants appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Westchester County (Colabella, J.), entered September 25, 1997, which, upon a jury verdict, is in favor of the plaintiff and against them in the principal sum of $150,000.
Ordered that the judgment is affirmed, with costs.
Contrary to the defendants' contentions, the trial court correctly refused to charge the jury that the subject defamatory remarks were made under a qualified privilege (see, Liberman v Gelstein, 80 NY2d 429, 437; Wright v Johnson, 184 AD2d 234; Hollander v Cayton, 145 AD2d 605; La Scala v D'Angelo, 104 AD2d 930), or that the plaintiff was a limited-issue public figure (see, James v Gannett Co., 40 NY2d 415, 422; Park v Capital Cities Communications, 181 AD2d 192, 197; Wilsey v Saratoga Harness Racing, 140 AD2d 857).
The damages awarded were not excessive. Miller, J. P., Pizzuto, Friedmann and Goldstein, JJ., concur.