Opinion ID: 1852256
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: modified jury instruction d-7a

Text: ¶ 23. While the modified instruction D-7A appears to substantially mirror the one refused by the trial court, the court altered Hamilton's D-7 by adding the following clause, It is for the jury to determine whether such opinions are reasonable. Moreover it primarily altered D-7 by adding the word reasonably in the first and second paragraph of the instruction as emphasized below. The two instructions specifically read as follows: Jury Instruction Statements of opinion based on D-7 truthful non-defamatory facts which are disclosed or otherwise generally known to the audience, cannot be defamatory. Therefore, if you find that Doug Hamilton made certain statements of opinion regarding the Plaintiffs, and those opinions were based upon truthful, non-defamatory facts which were disclosed or otherwise generally known to the audience, you must find for the Defendant in this case. Jury Instruction Statements of opinion reasonably D-7A based on truthful non-defamatory facts which are disclosed or otherwise generally known to the audience, cannot be defamatory and it is for the jury to determine whether such opinions are reasonable. Therefore, if you find that Doug Hamilton made statements of opinion regarding the Plaintiffs, and those opinions were reasonably based on truthful, non-defamatory facts which were disclosed or otherwise generally known to the audience, you must find for the Defendant in this case. (emphasis added). ¶ 24. The case law leading up to establishing the position that an allegedly defamatory statement, even if phrased as an opinion, will not automatically enjoy constitutional protection was based on a reasonable interpretation of the declaration. Roussel, 688 So.2d at 723. See Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co., 497 U.S. 1, 110 S.Ct. 2695, 111 L.Ed.2d 1 (1990); Keohane, 859 P.2d at 295-96. ¶ 25. The trial court was correct in stating that an opinion must, at least, be reasonably based on those non-defamatory facts. There must be some relationship. The modified jury instruction D-7A given by the trial court did not constitute reversible error.