Retired Bristol Judge Charles Flannagan ruled that Bill McClure’s Internet site defamed Burcham in a column he posted a year ago.
“I don’t want to do anything to chill a citizen from criticizing a public official,” Flannagan said, “but I do want to chill malicious spreading of lies. It is a delicate balance. “
He awarded Burcham $2,500 in damages.
Burcham said money was not the issue. Instead, she sued McClure to hold him accountable.
McClure claimed he’d observed Burcham driving erratically in a shopping mall parking lot.
Burcham said she wasn’t anywhere near the mall parking lot that day.
McClure removed the column after hearing from Burcham’s lawyer, Stan Barnhill (who usually is on the other side in defamation suits, as the lead lawyer for The Roanoke Times). But McClure continued to defame the city manager by publishing only anti-Burcham responses to his original column, Barnhill said.