Samantha Barbas on ACTUAL MALICE

Actual Malice tells a story of New York Times v. Sullivan, the dramatic case that grew out of segregationists’ attempts to quash reporting on the civil rights movement. In its landmark 1964 decision, the Supreme Court held that a public official must prove “actual malice” or reckless disregard of the truth to win a libel lawsuit, providing critical protections for free speech and freedom of the press. Join us when Professor of Law Samantha Barbas, tracks the saga behind one of the most important First Amendment rulings in history, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.