[Valin]

But the jury said it was done without malicious intent and refused to award damages.

I was under the impression that Sulivan V NY Times stayed that there had to be malice shown for there to be libel in regards to a "public person".

[Bernard Marx]

Re: public person & malice

This is from a law dictionary:

In a lawsuit for defamation (libel and slander) the existence of malice may increase the judgment to include general damages. Proof of malice is absolutely necessary for a "public figure" to win a lawsuit for defamation.