jan 1, 1733 - Zenger libel trial
Description:
John Peter Zenger was a journalist for the New-York Weekly Journal in New York City, NY. In 1733, Zenger criticized New York Governor William Cosby for meddling in the colony's Supreme Court in an attempt to control it. This angered Cosby, who had Zenger arrested for libel (slander). Zenger was defended by Andrew Hamilton and William Smith, who argued that if an accusation was true, it could not be libel. The jury determined Zenger to be not guilty after just ten minutes of deliberation. This was a huge win for the press, as well as the people, who had taken a passionate interest in the trial. The case set the groundwork for the freedom of the press, which would later become a dearly held value of the US.
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