Cricketer Chris Gayle wins defamation case against Fairfax, but publisher claims it ‘did not get a fair trial’
West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle has succeeded in his defamation battle against Fairfax Media over a series of articles which alleged he exposed himself to a masseuse in February 2015.
#BREAKING: Chris Gayle has won his defamation case against Fairfax Media. @Sophie_Walsh9 #9News pic.twitter.com/a1MfVMxvNM
— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) October 30, 2017
Good.
Gayle doesn’t seem like much of a role model, quite the opposite. But that doesn’t give media outlets and journalists the right to publish lies, hearsay or unsubstantiated rumours – just because we don’t like somebody, it does not give us the right to libel or bully them and that is happening too much right now.
I hope they are punished severely
““The Judge accepted that the Jury had been misled in a way that prejudiced Fairfax, but declined to discharge the Jury.”
From a legal perspective, there could be very strong grounds for an appeal based on a potential procedural error by the Judge. Whether it will change the outcome is a different matter; it will be very factually dependent.
There will always be some grey areas in reporting & journalism, and it’s right for the court system to keep the balance in check.