SJC hears appeal in judge's libel case

From Associated Press via the Worcester Telegram & Gazette:

"The Boston Herald on Thursday asked the state's highest court to toss out a $2.1 million verdict won by a Superior Court judge who said the newspaper libeled him by reporting he made insensitive comments about a 14-year-old rape victim.

"In February 2005, a jury found the newspaper had libeled Judge Ernest Murphy in a series of articles. Murphy maintained a Herald reporter misquoted him as telling lawyers involved in a case about the rape victim: 'Tell her to get over it.' Murphy denied ever making the statement.

"An attorney for the Herald and its reporter, David Wedge, said Thursday that Wedge did everything he could to ensure the stories were accurate, including twice trying to get comment from the judge himself. The attorney, Bruce Sanford, said Wedge had several sources who attributed the comment to Murphy."

The video of the oral argument will be posted here.