Childhood friend wins libel suit against ‘Red Hat' novelist

By Associated Press

For the AJC

GAINESVILLE -- A jury in Gainesville has decided that a Georgia author libeled a former friend in a novel.

The jury found on Thursday that Haywood Smith's novel "The Red Hat Club" damaged Vicki Stewart because it contained a character that closely resembled Stewart and portrayed her as a sexually promiscuous alcoholic. The jury rejected a claim of invasion of privacy.

The jury of eight men and four women awarded Stewart $100,000 in damages and denied her request for attorney fees.

"SuSu," a character in Smith’s  novel about Buckhead socialites, shared many similarities with Stewart, including where she grew up, her jobs and the circumstances of her first husband's death.

A tearful Stewart thanked the jury.

"All I wanted is for this not to happen to anyone else," she said, according to the Gainesville Times. "I am so appreciative of this jury, that took it upon itself to do something that will make our country a little better, and hopefully make our publishing laws better. This should not have happened."

Smith said she accepted the verdict and hoped Stewart would find it healing.