LAD #2 Zenger Trial

(John Peter Zenger)

1) Who was John Peter Zenger?
   John Peter Zenger was an American settler from Germany. After serving as an apprentice to William Bradford at the New York Gazette,  he established his own newspaper, The New York Weekly Journal, to highlight the selfish acts of Governor William Cosby. Zenger was eventually imprisoned by Cosby for seditious libel but was aquitted by a jury.

2) What was the controversy over his charges? Talk about Hamilton's defense.
   The Prosecution argued that Zenger could be convicted because of the libel of Cosby found in the paper. Zenger's defense attorney, Andrew Hamilton, did not try to deny that Zenger had defamated Cosby. However, he did argue that the truth of The New York Weekly Journal's words were a defense for libel. This idea was unheard of at the time and the case soon became of public interest.

3) What influence did this case have on American governmental tradition?
   The Peter Zenger trial asserted that truth was a defense for libel. The idea was now a protected right. The case also displayed the power of a jury to make decisions that went against the desires of government officials.

4) What is the lasting significance of this trial? Explain.
This case established freedom of the press. Settlers could now publish political commentaries and other controversial material without fear, as long as it was true. Freedom of the press became a truely American ideal.