Letter: Steve Miller’s defamation lawsuit should not languish

Friday, Jan. 30, 1998 | 10:40 a.m.

If Oprah can be sued for purportedly defaming cattle, then why can't a former city councilman and airline pilot like Miller sue Jones for falsely stating "Cocaine found in car Miller was driving" in her campaign advertisements during the 1991 Las Vegas mayoral election? I'm sure that Jones' obviously slanderous political advertisements hurt Miller and his family far worse than Oprah's remarks about hamburgers hurt the cattle barons or Barricade Books' advertisements hurt Wynn.

Miller's defamation lawsuit has been languishing in the Nevada Supreme Court -- on and off -- for more than half a decade. It is well proven that "justice delayed is justice denied." It is also no wonder that the Nevada Supreme Court needs a public relations makeover. Such a makeover did nothing to help Paula Jones' credibility, and the Nevada Supreme Court cannot become a "silk purse from a sow's ear" until it finally allows Miller's highly politically charged case to be heard before a jury.

Richard Wilsman

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