SHAYLA FUNK, APPELLEE, v. LINCOLN-LANCASTER COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS, INC., APPELLEE, AND CITY OF LINCOLN, APPELLANT., 294 Neb. 715

Summary

HOLDINGS: [1]-A video of plaintiff had no transactional stamp or time stamp to provide any verification that plaintiff was the person who committed an unauthorized ATM transaction [2]-The defamatory statement was made without reasonable or probable grounds for believing it to be true; [3]-Accordingly, the trial court did not err in finding that the publication did not have the protection of a qualified privilege; [4]-Regarding a link to defendant nonprofit organization's crime stoppers website that was posted to the organization's social media page, the trial court properly considered the post in awarding damages; [5]-It was not necessary to determine whether the post by itself was defamatory; [6]-Plaintiff was entitled to both general and special damages; [7]-The trial court did not have the authority to grant equitable relief.