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Zenger was then put on trial in 1735.  On the first day of the trial, Andrew Hamilton of Philadelphia, one of the best-known attorneys in all of the colonies, surprisingly showed up and agreed to defend Zenger for free.  Hamilton argued that it should not be a crime to print something that is true, even though it may embarrass the governor.  In other words, Zenger's attorney thought that someone should have a right to tell the truth, no matter how embarrassing it may be. Zenger's attorney told the jury that truth should be a perfect and complete defense against allegations of libel.

Zenger was then put on trial in 1735.  On the first day of the trial, Andrew Hamilton of Philadelphia, one of the best-known attorneys in all of the colonies, surprisingly showed up and agreed to defend Zenger for free.  Hamilton argued that it should not be a crime to print something that is true, even though it may embarrass the governor.  In other words, Zenger's attorney thought that someone should have a right to tell the truth, no matter how embarrassing it may be. Zenger's attorney told the jury that truth should be a perfect and complete defense against allegations of libel.

But the judge instructed the jury that, under the law at that time, publishing the truth about someone can still be a crime (the crime of "libel").  The jury rejected what the judge said, and what the law said.  Instead, the jury held in favor of Zenger:  "not guilty."  This case established a unique new American right:  the right of freedom of the press.  To this day we have that right in America, while those in England still do not.<ref>To this day, English courts welcome libel lawsuits far more than American courts do.  "Known as the 'libel capital of the world' because of its plaintiff-friendly rules on defamation, Britain has nothing remotely comparable to the First Amendment's protections for freedom of the press."[http://writ.news.findlaw.com/mariner/20030317.html]</ref>

But the judge instructed the jury that, under the law at that time, publishing the truth about someone can still be a crime (the crime of "libel").  The jury rejected what the judge said, and rejected what the law said.  Instead, the jury held in favor of Zenger:  "not guilty."  This case established a unique new American right:  the right of freedom of the press.  To this day we have that right in America, while those in England still do not.<ref>To this day, English courts welcome libel lawsuits far more than American courts do.  "Known as the 'libel capital of the world' because of its plaintiff-friendly rules on defamation, Britain has nothing remotely comparable to the First Amendment's protections for freedom of the press."[http://writ.news.findlaw.com/mariner/20030317.html]</ref>

This important case also helped convince Americans of the importance of the right to a jury trial, which was later written into our Constitution.

This important case also helped convince Americans of the importance of the right to a jury trial, which was later written into our Constitution.