Opinion
No. 8864.
June 4, 1945.
Appeal from the District Court of the United States for the District of Columbia.
Action by James W. Somerville against Acacia Mutual Life Insurance Company for libel. The district court directed a verdict for defendant, and plaintiff appeals.
Affirmed.
Mr. James W. Somerville, pro se.
Messrs. Roger J. Whiteford and John J. Wilson, both of Washington, D.C., for appellee.
Before MILLER, EDGERTON and ARNOLD, Associate Justices.
One part of the language on which the plaintiff relied in this action for libel was incapable of a defamatory meaning. The other part was obviously true. Regardless of the defense of privilege, therefore, the District Court was right in directing a verdict for the defendant. Meyerson v. Hurlbut, 68 App.D.C. 360, 362, 98 F.2d 232, 118 A.L.R. 313; Sullivan v. Meyer, 67 App. D.C. 228, 91 F.2d 301; cf. Sullivan v. Meyer, 78 U.S.App.D.C. 367, 141 F.2d 21.
Affirmed.