During the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, a group of southern leaders/activists who were frustrated with the lack of coverage of protests in the South took out a full-page ad in theNew York Times.An excerpt from the ad follows below.

This ad called out the actions of various city officials across the South. In particular, the third paragraph of the ad called out actions of the Commission of Public Safety in Montgomery, Alabama, L.B. Sullivan. As you can read, though, Sullivan isn't named.He still personally brought a libel suit against theNew York Timesfor allowing the ad to run.We will discuss this case fully soon, but I would like you to consider the libel elements we have discussed so far andanswer the following questions.

1) Statement of fact

2) Published

3) Of and concerning the Plaintiff

4) Defamatory

5) False

6) Harm

7) for which the defendant is at Fault

1) Based on the six libel elements we've discussed, does Sullivan have a strong suit for libel?

2) If yes, which is his easiest element(s) to establish?If no, which element(s) will be difficult for him to prove?