LAD #2 John Peter Zenger

1. Who was John Peter Zenger?

John Peter Zenger was the printer of the New York Weekly Journal. He was accused for libel for criticizing his governor, William Cosby, in his journal.
2. What was the controversy over his charges? Talk about Hamilton's defense.
The government's charged Zenger with libel, a false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation. With this charge, all Hamilton had to do to defend Zenger was prove that the statements were indeed true despite how offensive they seemed. Hamilton was able to prove Zenger's statements about Cosby true, causing Zenger to be deemed not guilty.
3. What influence did his case have on American governmental tradition?
This case set an example against the power of authority for future libel cases. It also lead to the freedom of press in America for future cases.
4. What is the lasting significance of his trial? Explain.
This trial contributed to freedom of press amongst American publications for the future. In a sense Hamilton's defensive skills embarrassed Governor Cosby because Zenger's statements were true even though they were damaging to his reputation. This set a precedent for future authority figures to let people post what they want because they could look like a coward by charging someone falsely.