Court Opinion

ID: 9586593
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:13:06.169895+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:32:44.109103
License: Public Domain

Deen, Presiding Judge,
dissenting.
While I generally share the views of the majority opinion, the present status of the law appears to support the dissent.
Appellee argues that the case of Hustler Magazine v. Falwell, 485 U. S. 46 (108 SC 876, 99 LE2d 41) (1988), although involving a “pub-*238lie figure,” may also apply to a “private figure.” Assuming arguendo this is true, this could leave the door ajar for open season on private as well as public figures. As to public figures under Falwell, with the exception possibly of stating that one is a crook or has committed a crime, almost anything may be said. The language in Falwell (suggesting in a magazine article that Falwell’s first sexual experience was incest with his mother in an outhouse), although labeled a parody, is far more harsh and severe than what is charged in the instant case (suggesting that the owner of a restaurant should be spit upon, that the gumbo tasted like yesterday’s slop, that he should receive the five-finger award, and that “he stinks”). Acknowledging that there exists a heavier duty placed upon radio and television media toward protecting the public than the responsibility bearing upon the magazine and newspaper industry (the former uses airwaves belonging to the public and is regulated, which is inapplicable to the latter), Miami Herald Pub. Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U. S. 241 (94 SC 2831, 41 LE2d 730) (1974); Brandywine-Main Line Radio v. Fed. Communications Comm., 473 F2d 16, 64 (1972), nevertheless, the protected speech cases of the United States Supreme Court providing wide latitude are binding upon this court, whether we agree with them or not. Chief Justice Burger has cautioned that the only acceptable remedy is “a spirit of responsibility . . . and civility ... on the part of those who exercise the guaranteed freedoms of expression.”
The holding in Texas v. Johnson, 491 U. S. — (109 SC 2533, 105 LE2d 342) (1989) (that the flag of the United States may be burned, with protestors chanting, “America, the red, white, and blue, we spit on you”), is again seemingly stronger and more unsavory, and therefore more likely to cause emotional distress to the several witnesses (some of whom may have fought for their country and their flag), than what was said in the case under consideration. The threats made in Moses v. Prudential Ins. Co. of America, 187 Ga. App. 222 (369 SE2d 541) (1988) (that if you do not refrain from doing certain things you will “find your butt in court or your neck broken somewhere” (emphasis supplied)), again appear to be language that is more frightening and horrifying and that should receive less protection than the statements made in the case we now review. These are a direct and immediate threat to a specific person to break his neck or kill him, and the holding in Moses was that this did not state an actual case for “emotional distress,” as the severity requirements were not met,
The whole-court case of Brooks v. Stone, 170 Ga. App. 457, 458 (317 SE2d 277) (1984) (containing “we love to hump bitches in heat. Say, Ms. Brooks, when do you come in season?”), held that there was a jury question. The latter case involved libel and was only a physical precedent, inasmuch as two judges concurred in the judgment only; *239and, even if applicable to emotional distress, Brooks is because of the 4-2-3 split vote not controlling. However, Moses is a binding precedent and appears to be on point and therefore must be either overruled or followed. Compare Davenport v. State, 184 Ga. App. 214 (361 SE2d 219) (1987), the majority opinion and special concurrence, as to allegedly obscene language used relating to and bearing on “fighting words” and inciting an immediate breach of peace. Reluctantly, on the basis of the cases cited and reviewed and on the Moses case in particular, I agree with Judge Pope’s dissent that the judgment should be affirmed.