Judge to dismiss Sarah Palin defamation case against The New York Times

A New York City federal judge said Monday he would dismiss Sarah Palin's claim that she was defamed by The New York Times when it incorrectly linked her to a 2011 mass shooting in Arizona that nearly killed former Rep. Gabby Giffords.

Palin, who was the governor of Alaska when she rocketed to fame in 2008 after Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the GOP presidential nominee, picked her as his running mate, claimed her reputation had been damaged by the Times editorial.

U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan disagreed and said he will order the dismissal of Palin’s lawsuit, but enter his order after her jury finishes its own deliberations, Reuters reported.

Rakoff said he expected Palin to appeal, and that the appeals court “would greatly benefit from knowing how the jury would decide it.”

In the unlikely event the jury rules in Palin's favor, Rakoff said he would set aside the panel's verdict.