Defence lawyer Charles Richardson was yesterday charged with libelling a police detective with comments he wrote about him on Facebook.Mr Richardson, 39, of Club Road, Smith's, appeared at Magistrates' Court where he was charged with unlawfully publishing defamatory material about Detective Inspector Robert Cardwell on May 11 last year.The charge read out in court included the alleged defamatory material, a Facebook post which read: “This detective inspector really has it in for me.“Why on earth Robert Cardwell has taken an unhealthy interest in me is astonishing...I really hope it ain't because I'm good at what I do and I'm black...that would make him vindictive and racist...could it be?”Defamation is described in the Criminal Code as: “Any imputation concerning any person, or any member of his family, whether living or dead, by which the reputation of that person is likely to be injured, or by which he is likely to be injured in his profession, occupation or trade, or by which other persons are likely to be induced to shun, or avoid, or ridicule, or despise him.”Asked to enter a plea by Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner, Mr Richardson, of Juris Law Chambers, replied: “I stand mute.”Mr Warner adjourned the case until January 14.