Slander

[jpecot]

What is the name of your state? Ohio

I'm a member of the board of our local youth football league. We recently purchased several thousand of dollars of football uniforms from a vendor of my choosing. A parent has gone to several other board members and accused me of using that purchase to get "free" uniforms for my baseball team. This is unture and I have the receipts for those uniforms to prove it. I'm very upset over this and feel she has only begun to talk and to damage my reputation in the community.

Is there anything I can do? Or should I just let her go on and on and feel like I must prove my innocence to everyone.

~Jpecot

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

How does saying that you got the uniforms for "free" damage you? What's the correlation?

IAAL

 

[jpecot]

Her claim is that I had our youth football group pay above the going rate for the uniforms, so that I could get my baseball uniforms free. Basically that I was getting a kick back from the company that was suppling the football jerseys.

This damages my reputation in the community, that I would have everyone else pay a higher price so I could get something for free.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Her claim is that I had our youth football group pay above the going rate for the uniforms, so that I could get my baseball uniforms free. Basically that I was getting a kick back from the company that was suppling the football jerseys.

This damages my reputation in the community, that I would have everyone else pay a higher price so I could get something for free.

My response:

Okay, she's saying that, in essence, you've committed a crime - - theft.

How many people do you know she's said this to?

Have you been confronted by anyone with this information?

How has this affected you in the community, as of today?

What steps have you taken to ameliorate any damages caused?

IAAL

 

[jpecot]

My response:

Okay, she's saying that, in essence, you've committed a crime - - theft.

How many people do you know she's said this to?

" Three that I have confirmed, but I'm sure there are more. "

Have you been confronted by anyone with this information?

" One of the three has asked me if it was true, the other two have talked to me, but assure me that don't believe her."

How has this affected you in the community, as of today?

" As of today, not much other than the rumor factor. The more this rumor gets around or the more people she tells, the more people are going to talk behind my back and doubt whether I did it or not. This is a group of people that I work with almost all year long."

What steps have you taken to ameliorate any damages caused?

" To the three people I know she has told, I have showed them my receipt for my baseball uniforms and the quote I was given prior to the football jersey order that are the same dollar amount. No discount was given and payment was made for them. I just feel like I shouldn't have to "prove" myself to everyone she tells and go around and defend myself to her lies."

IAAL