Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has failed in a defamation lawsuit against the New York Times.

The jury dismissed the accusation that the newspaper had deliberately wanted to harm them.

In a 2017 editorial, The Times made a direct connection between an ad by Palin's political support committee and a multiple homicide in Arizona.

The ad showed the constituency of Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords in a crosshair.

In Tuscon, Arizona, an attacker opened fire in 2011, killing six people and wounding 14 others, including Gabrielle Giffords.

Police investigations later revealed that the perpetrator was mentally ill and harbored a grudge against the politician that had nothing to do with the political charge.

Sarah Palin had alleged in court that the newspaper and James Bennet, editor of The New York Times' editorials, deliberately ignored the truth and pursued a political agenda against them.

The newspaper submitted that it had made a factual error, but corrected it and apologized.

Prior to the jury's decision, New York District Court Judge Jed Rakoff announced in an unusual move that he would dismiss the case.

Palin's attorneys failed to prove intent or recklessness to the Times.

"Now we've come to the same conclusion," Rakoff said after the jury's verdict.

Sarah Palin's attorney, Kenneth Turkel, said they had their own perspective on the evidence, the law and the facts that emerged during the trial.

He is proud of his client, who had the courage to sue the New York Times in New York District Court.

This shows “what this system is about”.

The New York Times welcomed the verdict.

It underscores that public figures are not allowed to intimidate media by filing defamation lawsuits when they make mistakes that they acknowledge and correct, a spokeswoman said.

We are grateful that the jury and judge recognized the legal safeguards of the press and the vital role it played in democracy.

Sarah Palin said in court that the New York Times editorial had weighed heavily on her emotionally.

It was "devastating" to read the false accusation that it had something to do with the murder of innocent people.

"I felt powerless." Former Times editor James Bennet testified that he had no intention of harming Sarah Palin or misleading readers.

He also doesn't think the editorial blamed Palin for the crime.

Her lawyer has not yet revealed whether Sarah Palin is going to appeal.

The former governor of Alaska was unsuccessful in her 2017 lawsuit against the Times in the same court.

She is expected to take the case to the Supreme Court for a landmark decision.

Two judges had already announced that they would review the case.

In 1964, the Supreme Court ruled in Times v.

Sullivan” made a landmark decision on celebrity defamation lawsuits against the press.

The judges formulated the principle that a defamation lawsuit by public figures against a misrepresentation in the media can only succeed if "malicious intentions" (actual malice) are proven.