Koch

ORDER GRANTING SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN FAVOR OF DEFENDANT AS TO PLAINTIFF’S CLAIMS FOR DEFAMATION AND CLAIM FOR INTENTIONAL INFLICTION OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS

This case came on for hearing on the motion of defendant Ruth Y. Goldway, for Summary Judgment against plaintiff, Ilse Koch, on plaintiff’s three claims for defamation and her claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Having considered the parties’ submissions and having heard oral argument, the Court renders the following judgment:

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The facts stated herein are uncontested except that defendant disputes making the allegedly defamatory statement. For the purposes of this motion, the Court assumes the statement was made.

The plaintiff, a West German national who is forty-two years of age, filed this action on February 28, 1983 against the defendant, a California resident and at all times pertinent to this action the Mayor of Santa Monica. On March 25, 1982, defendant appeared before twenty to thirty women affiliated with the Los Angeles Jewish Federation Council at a private residence in Santa Monica. The plaintiff did not attend.

At this appearance the defendant said words to the following…