Alabama Supreme Court Affirms Grant of New Trial in Defamation Case

Alabama’s highest court has affirmed a lower court’s ruling granting a new trial to a recruiting analyst, who was on the losing end of a $30 million jury verdict. The ruling means that former University of Alabama assistant coach Ronnie Cottrell will have to, once again, prove that the defendant, Tom Culpepper, defamed him during the NCAA’s investigation of alleged rules violations in 2000. Originally, Cottrell was joined in the suit by Ivy Williams, as both plaintiffs alleged that the Nat