Courts rule ‘gay’ is not slanderous

Courts rule ‘gay’ is not slanderous

ALBANY, N.Y.

One by one, courts around the country are deciding it’s no longer slander to falsely call someone gay — a measure of how attitudes are changing in the era of same-sex marriage and gays in uniform.

Though “gay” still is widely wielded as an insult, some judges have concluded that it is not damaging to anyone’s reputation, just as calling a white man black is no longer grounds for legal action as it was a generation ago.

The latest ruling came from a midlevel New York state appeals court Thursday and was hailed by gay-rights activists as a small but meaningful victory.

The case involved a woman who was sued for reportedly spreading a rumor that an upstate New York man was gay in the hope of breaking up his relationship with another woman. In a 4-0 decision, the New York Appellate Division’s Third Department threw out the lawsuit before it went to trial, noting changing attitudes about homosexuality.

Romney net worth stays near $250M

WASHINGTON

A new financial report from GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney shows that his personal fortune remains near $250 million, about the same as last year even after a mass sell-off of stocks from his vast investment portfolio. Romney’s campaign said Friday that his assets ranged between $190 million and $250 million, and a tally by The Associated Press put the figure at the high end of that range.

Samberg leaving ‘Saturday Night Live’

LOS ANGELES

Andy Samberg has wrapped his seven-season run on “Saturday Night Live,” a spokeswoman for the actor-comedian said Friday. Samberg won’t return as a cast member next season, according to his publicist, Carrie Byalick. Samberg’s exit follows that of “SNL” cast member Kristen Wiig.

Missing Kansas girl found safe

WICHITA, Kan.

A 12-year-old Kansas girl was found safe in Michigan on Friday, a day after her parents said they believed she left her home with a Canadian man she met on the Internet.

The girl and a man were stopped while driving Friday afternoon southwest of Lansing, Michigan State Police Lt. T.J. Riegle said. Riegle said both were being held as police “sort things out.”

Butler County Attorney Darrin Devinney in Kansas. said Friday he did not know whether any charges would be filed.

Associated Press