John Peter Zenger | |
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![]() Andrew Hamilton defending John Peter Zenger in court, 1734–1735 | |
Born | October 26, 1697 |
Died | July 28, 1746 | (aged 48)
Citizenship | British |
Occupation | Newspaper writer |
Years active | 1720–1746 |
Known for | Zenger trial |
Notable work | The New York Weekly Journal |
John Peter Zenger (October 26, 1697 – July 28, 1746) was a German printer and journalist in New York City. Zenger printed The New York Weekly Journal.[1] He was accused of libel in 1734 by William Cosby, the royal governor of New York, but the jury acquitted Zenger, who became a symbol for freedom of the press.[2]
In 1733, Zenger began printing The New York Weekly Journal, which voiced opinions critical of the colonial governor, William Cosby.[3] On November 17, 1734, on Cosby's orders, the sheriff arrested Zenger. After a grand jury refused to indict him, the Attorney General Richard Bradley charged him with libel in August 1735.[4] Zenger's lawyers, Andrew Hamilton and William Smith, Sr., successfully argued that truth is a defense against charges of libel.[5]