Answer: B. Libel laws were interpreted to apply only to untrue statements that damaged a person’s reputation.
John Peter Zenger was an American printer and journalist in New York City. He is famous for being accused of libel in 1734 by William Cosby, the royal governor of New York. However, he was found innocent as his lawyers successfully argued that if a statement can be proven to be true, it cannot be considered libel. This was a significant victory for freedom of the press.