County Judge David L. Ashworth has dismissed the libel lawsuit of a former district justice against Lancaster Newspapers Inc. and the Lancaster New Era and Intelligencer Journal.

Ronald W. Savage brought the suit in 1998, when he was a district justice.

Savage alleged that he had been defamed by news articles, an editorial and three letters to the editor related to the appeal by Lisa Michelle Lambert of her conviction in the 1991 murder of Laurie Show.

Previously an East Lampeter Police officer, Savage had investigated the Show murder case.

County Judge Paul K. Allison ruled in favor of Lancaster Newspapers in 2004, noting that the articles cited by Savage "are a fair account of what occurred."

Savage appealed to the Pennsylvania Superior Court, which upheld the ruling in favor of Lancaster Newspapers. Savage then appealed to the state Supreme Court.

That court delayed its decision while considering a separate case involving another investigating police officer who claimed similar defamation.

The court decided that case, and then decided the Savage case. The Supreme Court then remanded the case to the local court.

Savage has the option of appealing Ashworth's decision.


Staff writer Jack Brubaker can be reached at jbrubaker@LNPnews.com or 291-8781.