McGee v. Gast

Believing that he had been the target of certain disparaging comments, Shawn McGee brought a claim for defamation against Richard K. Gast and his son, Andrew J. Gast. Finding the claims brought against Richard Gast were either time-barred or precluded by McGee’s failure to plead special damages, the trial court granted Gast’s motion for summary judgment.1 For the same reasons, we affirm.

In 1995, McGee began serving as an assistant scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 1111. According to his complaint, McGee claimed that in December 1997, both Richard and Andrew Gast had made statements to others that McGee had sold cigarettes to members of the Troop. McGee also alleged that Richard Gast had defamed him by accusing him of threatening his son and by saying that McGee was unfit for Scout leadership. McGee claimed that on March 15, 1999, Richard Gast had slandered him by telling adult affiliates of Troop 1111 that McGee had provided troop members with alcohol and tobacco and had attended troop functions while intoxicated. McGee also alleged that Gast had made slanderous comments about him to Kathryn Patterson, the office manager for the Boy Scouts of America Northeast Georgia Council, by telling her that McGee had engaged in illegal activities and that Gast was trying to have McGee “thrown out” of the troop.