LAD #2- Zenger Trial

1. Who was John Peter Zenger?

John Peter Zenger was the editor and publisher of the New York Newspaper, the New York Weekly Journal. In 1733, he was arrested, brought to jail, put on trial and charged with seditious libel. Represented by the lawyer, Alexander Hamilton, he was later found not guilty and his trial would go on to become one of the most famous of the time.

2. What was the controversy over his charges? Talk about Hamilton's defense.

The controversy over his charges was that although Zenger did publish the stories, he published the truth. In Zenger's defense, Hamilton stated that it wasn't libel unless it was false. Bringing into play both the law and the facts, Hamilton succeeded in showing Zenger's innocence to the jury.

3. What influence did his case have on American governmental tradition?

In regards to American governemnt tradition, the Zenger trial set a precedent for judicial tyranny in libel suits. Truth as a defense was set up as a defense against libel.

4. What is the lasting significance of his trial? Explain.

The lasting significance of the Zenger trial is that freedom of the press was affirmed in America. So long as a statement was true, and accurate, no matter how derogatory it was, by law, it was allowed to be published.