A federal jury in Manhattan ruled Tuesday that The New York Times did not defame Sarah Palin in a editorial linking her political rhetoric to a deadly mass shooting. The decision, delivered after just two hours of deliberations, marks the second legal defeat for the former Alaska governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee in her yearslong battle against the newspaper.
Palin sued the Times and former editorial page editor James Bennet over the opinion piece titled “America’s Lethal Politics,” which incorrectly suggested her political action committee’s crosshairs-themed map inspired the Tucson shooting that injured Rep. Gabby Giffords and killed six. The newspaper issued a correction hours after publication, but Palin argued the damage to her reputation—including increased death threats and emotional distress—warranted compensation.
During the retrial, Bennet testified he rushed the editorial under deadline pressure, while Palin described feeling “kicked in the gut” by its claims. The Times maintained it acted without “actual malice,” the legal standard required for public figures to win defamation cases.
The verdict reaffirms protections for media outlets under U.S. libel law, with the Times praising the jury for upholding “important tenets” of press freedom. Palin, who pledged to keep fighting for “integrity in media,” has yet to announce whether she will appeal.
