Majority
—In an action to recover damages for slander, the defendants appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Westchester County (Colabella, J.), entered September 25, 1997, which, upon a jury verdict, is in favor of the plaintiff and against them in the principal sum of $150,000.
Ordered that the judgment is affirmed, with costs.
Contrary to the defendants’ contentions, the trial court correctly refused to charge the jury that the subject defamatory remarks were made under a qualified privilege (see, Liberman v Gelstein, 80 NY2d 429 , 437; Wright v Johnson, 184 AD2d 234 ; Hollander v Cayton, 145 AD2d 605 ; La Scala v D’Angelo, 104 AD2d 930 ), or that the plaintiff was a limited-issue public figure (see, James v Gannett Co., 40 NY2d 415 , 422; Park v Capital Cities Communications, 181 AD2d 192 , 197; Wilsey v Saratoga Harness Racing, 140 AD2d 857 ).
The damages awarded were not excessive. Miller, J. P., Pizzuto, Friedmann and Goldstein, JJ., concur.
Cases cited
- Liberman v. Gelstein 80 NY2d 429 at 437 p. 411
- Hollander v. Cayton 145 AD2d 605 p. 411
- La Scala v. D'Angelo 104 AD2d 930 p. 411
- James v. Gannett Co. 40 NY2d 415 at 422 p. 411
- Park v. Capital Cities Communications, Inc. 181 AD2d 192 at 197 p. 411
- Wilsey v. Saratoga Harness Racing, Inc. 140 AD2d 857 p. 411