Lega Siciliana Club, Inc. v. St. Germaine

77 Conn. App. 846 (2003)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

P operates a private social club. D, a private citizen who resides in the neighborhood, is unhappy with the increased noise and traffic he perceives to be associated with the activities of P. D sent a letter to the President of the Waterbury Board of Aldermen, with a copy to the minority leader of the Board of Aldermen and to the Waterbury Zoning Board. D complains that P has disrupted the quiet residential character of the neighborhood. The letter contains the following statements, set forth here verbatim, that form the basis of the plaintiff's defamation claim: “The rumors with the elderly go from having political connection in both state and local, to Mafia connections to rubber stamp whatever they want. We wish to live out our lives without fear. They as Italians do have the ethnic mussel to influence policy in both state and city dept. on the side of what is in their best interest for their Social Club . . .Would Club Members allow another ethnic group to invade their family’s quality of life as they are doing to us . . .Do to rumors of Mafia and political connections my own wife would not sign the petitions for fear of having someone setting our house on fire.” P sued for libel. D moved for summary judgment.