Supreme Court declines to revisit landmark First Amendment decision, leaving higher bar for libel in place
CNN
The Supreme Court declined to revisit the landmark First Amendment decision in New York Times v. Sullivan. The 1964 ruling created a higher bar for public figures to claim libel and has been a bedrock of US media law.
Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the court's refusal to take up the case.
"I would grant certiorari in this case to revisit the 'actual malice' standard," Thomas wrote. "This case is one of many showing how New York Times and its progeny have allowed media organizations and interest groups 'to cast false aspersions on public figures with near impunity.'"
After recent burglaries at homes of professional athletes – including Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce – the NFL and NBA have issued security memos to teams and players warning that “organized and skilled groups” are increasingly targeting players’ residences for such crimes.