Campbell, Rodney v The Jamaica Observer Ltd, Chester Francis-Jackson

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE OF JAMACIA

IN COMMON LAW

CLAIM NO. C.L. 2002/C-238 1 I

BETWEEN RODNEY CAMPBELL CLAIMANT i

A N D THE JAMAICA OBSERVER

LIMITED 1ST DEFENDANT

A N D CHESTER FRANCIS-JACKSON 2ND DEFENDANT

Miss C. Brown instructed by Vacianna & Whittingham for the Claimant.

Miss M. Brown instructed by Brown-Hamilton & Associates for the

Defendants.

HEARD: 20th April and 9th June 2005

MANGATAL, J.

1. This matter came on for damages to be assessed on the 20th of April,

C 2005. The Claim is to recover damages in respect of a libellous article

written and published in a column headed "Social Lives" in the Sunday

Observer Newspaper dated September 1, 2002. The First Defendant is the

publisher of the newspaper and the Second Defendant is the journalist

named in the by-line of the article.

2. Although the Defendants had originally filed a Defence, an Amended

Defence, and sought the court's leave to file a Further Amended Defence, at

a Case Management Conference on December 21, 2004, an order was made