CHARGES AGAINST U.S. MAGAZINES

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28435, 15 November 1957, Page 22

CHARGES AGAINST U.S. MAGAZINES

Libel Allegations Dropped

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) HOLLYWOOD. November 12. Criminal libel charges against “Confidential” and “Whisper” magazines were dropped today after the publications said in advertisements that they would “eliminate expose stories on the private lives of celebrities.” The magazine would be retried on a lesser charge on the basis of the transcript of their earlier trial. Judge Burton Noble ruled. I The original six-week trial of the two publications and two individuals. Fred and Marjorie Meade, ended on October 1 in a mis-trial after a jury deliberated two weeks without reaching a verdict. The case then was transferred from the court of the original trial judge. Herbert Walker, to Judge Noble for decision on a retrial.

Judge Noble, on a motion of the State Attorney-General’s office today dismissed the criminal libel charges against the publications and Mr and Mrs Meade, operators of a west coast investigating agency for the magazines. The judge said he would retry the case on the issue of whether the magazines published obscene material. He said the second trial would be based entirely on the transcript of the first hearing and he scheduled a hearing for December 3 to permit attorneys to enter arguments in the case.

At an informal conference last week, Judge Noble indicated he would agree to the dropping of the criminal libel charges and dismissal of the Meades as defendants if the magazines changed their format to eliminate sensational expose stories about celebrities and announced the change in policy publicly.