United States Fourth Circuit

The financial soundness of privately financed public projects is of sufficient public concern to address a public controversy, so someone who voluntarily injects himself into the controversy is a limited purpose public figure who must show malice to prove defamation.

Appellate Information

• Argued 06/07/2001
• Decided 08/01/2001
• Published 08/01/2001

Judges

• Before LUTTIG, DIANA GRIBBON MOTZ, and GREGORY, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  William Marvin Grant, Jr., Grant & Leatherwood, P.A., Greenville, SC, for Appellant. Wallace K. Lightsey, Wyche, Burgess, Freeman & Parham, P.A., Greenville, SC, for Appellees. ON BRIEF:  Langdon Cheves, III, Grant & Leatherwood, P.A., Greenville, SC, for Appellant.   Carl F. Muller, Wyche, Burgess, Freeman & Parham, P.A., Greenville, SC;  Tennyson Schad, Norwick & Schad, New York, NY, for Appellees.