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Opening Statements Begin in Sarah Palin’s Defamation Retrial Against The New York Times

The case revisits a 2017 editorial linking Palin’s campaign rhetoric to a mass shooting, with the retrial following judicial errors in the original trial.

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FILE - Sarah Palin, a Republican seeking the sole U.S. House seat in Alaska, speaks during a forum for candidates, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File)
FILE - Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is escorted to her car by Ron Duguay after leaving the courthouse in New York, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, after she told a jury she felt like she was at the mercy of a "Goliath" when she first learned a 2017 New York Times editorial suggested her campaign rhetoric helped incite a mass shooting. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Overview

  • Opening statements in Sarah Palin’s retrial against The New York Times are set to begin Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, following jury selection on Monday.
  • The lawsuit centers on a 2017 editorial that falsely suggested Palin’s political action committee incited a 2011 mass shooting involving former Rep. Gabby Giffords.
  • The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals restored the case in 2024, citing significant judicial errors in the 2022 trial, including improper evidence exclusion and flawed jury instructions.
  • The New York Times has acknowledged the editorial’s inaccuracy but maintains it was an unintended error that was quickly corrected.
  • The retrial takes place against a backdrop of declining media trust and debates over the 'actual malice' standard, which sets a high bar for defamation claims by public figures.