WILEY v. GRAY TELEVISION

Citations

• 2024 OK CIV APP 16

Syllabus

¶1 Ernest Wiley appeals the trial court's summary judgment entered in favor of Gray Television, Inc., aka and/or dba KSWO-TV, Jarred Burk, and Kelvin Mize (collectively, Defendants) 1 and its denial of his motion to reconsider which we treat as a motion for new trial. The questions to be addressed on appeal in this libel action are whether summary judgment was granted in error and whether the denial of Wiley's motion for new trial was an abuse of discretion. We consider this appeal without further briefing pursuant to Oklahoma Supreme Court Rule 1.36, 12 O.S.2021, ch. 15, app. 1. After review, we conclude overruling the motion for new trial was an abuse of discretion because the question of whether the article in question was substantially accurate was for a jury to decide, and granting summary judgment in Defendants' favor was therefore erroneous. We reverse the orders of the trial court and remand for further proceedings.