Suarez v. Mecca [1]

In August 2005, Ridgefield [2] New Jersey mayor Anthony R. Suarez sued Ridgefield resident Michael Mecca, who had allegedly posted defamatory content to the Ridgefield forum [3] on NJ.com [4] under the alias "Voter12345."  According to court filings, the allegedly defamatory content indicated that the mayor took part in a politically motivated raid on Mecca's house and was present when police showed up at the door to investigate an anonymous tip that he had an illegal apartment.  (App. Ct. Op. [5] 2.)  At a deposition, however, Mecca admitted that the incident had been relayed to him by his friend, Ridgefield municipal prosecutor Marc Ramundo, and had not actually occurred in front of either Mecca or Ramundo.  According to the Appellate Court opinion [5], Mecca believed that the story was true.  (App. Ct. Op. 3.)

The trial court [6] granted summary judgment to Mecca, finding that Suarez had "failed to show any harm to his reputation, or damages, resulting from the claimed defamatory conduct."  (App. Ct. Op. 2.)  Upon appeal, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, affirmed the trial court's ruling, upholding the grant of summary judgment for Mecca. 

According to NorthJersey.com [7], Mecca has filed a malicious prosecution suit against Suarez.  The jury in that case found [7], however, that Suarez's defamation suit was not malicious.