Greenbelt News Review
Encyclopedia
The Greenbelt News Review was established in 1937 as a volunteer cooperative
shortly after settlement of Greenbelt, Maryland
, and was originally called The Cooperator. It has been published without interruption every week since its founding, and is distributed free by a network of carriers to all city residents.
in the News Review published two quotations of citizen remarks at City Council meetings in which they characterized as "blackmail" the actions of Charles S. Bresler, a local real estate developer and member of the Maryland House of Delegates
. Bresler filed suit in 1966, claiming that he had become "the most hated man in Greenbelt." Local volunteers formed a Freedom of the Press committee and went door to door to raise money for the paper's legal defense.
Bresler received a $17,500 libel judgment from the Prince George's County Circuit Court, which was upheld by the Maryland Court of Appeals
in 1969.
In 1970, the Supreme Court of the United States
ruled unanimously in favor of the News Review and overturned the lower courts' judgments. The Supreme Court held "that as a matter of constitutional law, the word 'blackmail' in these circumstances was not slander when spoken, and not libel when reported in the Greenbelt News Review."
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
shortly after settlement of Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
, and was originally called The Cooperator. It has been published without interruption every week since its founding, and is distributed free by a network of carriers to all city residents.
1970 Supreme Court Libel Case
In 1965, an article by reporter Dorothy SucherDorothy Sucher
Dorothy Sucher was an American author and psychotherapist who worked as a reporter at the Greenbelt News Review, where an article that she wrote that quoted critics of a developers calling his plans "blackmail" initially resulted in a $17,500 judgement against the paper. The U.S...
in the News Review published two quotations of citizen remarks at City Council meetings in which they characterized as "blackmail" the actions of Charles S. Bresler, a local real estate developer and member of the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
. Bresler filed suit in 1966, claiming that he had become "the most hated man in Greenbelt." Local volunteers formed a Freedom of the Press committee and went door to door to raise money for the paper's legal defense.
Bresler received a $17,500 libel judgment from the Prince George's County Circuit Court, which was upheld by the Maryland Court of Appeals
Maryland Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals of Maryland is the supreme court of the U.S. state of Maryland. The court, which is composed of one chief judge and six associate judges, meets in the Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building in the state capital, Annapolis...
in 1969.
In 1970, the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
ruled unanimously in favor of the News Review and overturned the lower courts' judgments. The Supreme Court held "that as a matter of constitutional law, the word 'blackmail' in these circumstances was not slander when spoken, and not libel when reported in the Greenbelt News Review."