MINNEAPOLIS, March 25 (UPI) -- A Minneapolis blogger is appealing a jury verdict that found he defamed a former community organizer even though his comments were truthful.
John Hoff, who blogs under the name "Johnny Northside," was ordered to pay $60,000 to Jerry Moore in a jury verdict March 11. Moore was fired by the University of Minnesota after Hoff said in his blog he had been linked to a mortgage fraud case, although never charged.
Hoff has asked District Judge Denise Reilly to reverse the jury decision, the (Minneapolis) Star-Tribune reported Friday. The Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists chapter asked the judge this week for permission to support Hoff with a friend of the court brief.
In its brief, SPJ said the verdict could lead to journalists and others being penalized for truthful statements. As a result, the chapter said it has "significant continuing interest in ensuring that Minnesota courts at every level do not apply such a rule."
Hoff said SPJ filed a brief before his own lawyer did.
"I think they realize bloggers and mainstream journalists are all part of the same media ecosystem, and an injury to one is an injury to all," he said in an e-mail to the newspaper. "If we can't tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may, how do we even HAVE a First Amendment in this country?"
