Boese v. Paramount Pictures Corporation

Forensic chemist Robert Boese (plaintiff) testified for an insurer that a fire was caused by arson; the accused homeowner, Weathers, was acquitted and later won a large judgment against the insurer. A television news program produced by Paramount Pictures (defendant) aired a segment on the case that included footage of Boese testifying and closed with Weathers saying everybody had lied and it came back to haunt them. Boese sued Paramount for false-light invasion of privacy, alleging the segment implied he had lied under oath, and that the reporters never contacted him or investigated other available sources — evidence, he argued, of actual malice. Paramount moved for summary judgment, and separately argued the statement was a protected opinion rather than a factual claim.