John Peter Zenger Case Summary

The John Peter Zenger case led to one of the rights mentioned in the Bill of Rights, the freedom of the press. Because of it, we are able to publish anything as long as it is true and does not demeaningly lower a person's reputation. The case involved these people: John Peter Zenger, the publisher of the New-York Weekly Journal, William Cosby, a governor who took Zenger to court, James DeLancey, the chief justice, James Alexander, William Smith, Andrew Hamilton
John Peter Zenger was born to Nicolaus Eberhard Zenger, a school teacher, and Johanna Zenger in 1697. The Zengers immigrated to New York in 1710 with the German Palatines. Nicolaus died before he settled down, so John became an apprentice of William Bradford for 8 years before he was able to start his own printing press in 1725 with William Bradford. He married twice to Mary White in 1719 and after she died, to Anna Catherine Maul in 1722. He had 6 children

William Cosby removed Lewis Morris from his position of Supreme Chief Justice because of a loss in court. As a result, James DeLancey becomes the new Justice, giving Cosby more power in court. James Alexander becomes editor and chief writer of the New York Weekly Journal, but since no names were signed on the paper, Zenger is taken to jail as the printer of the paper. This happened when DeLancey asked a Grand Jury to indict Zenger on charges of libel twice. Each time, he was told no, but when he had the attorney general file 'an information', the jury believed him and Zenger was taken to jail for about 9 months.
It was 1735 when the trial started. After being removed from jail for this day, Zenger went out with John Chambers, a young man with little law experience who was also on Cosby's side. After a juror entry problem was addressed and fixed, the attorney general proceeded to describe Zenger as: '...a frequent printer and publisher of false news and seditious