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December 2, 2008 8:40:42 AM CST


defamation

defamation news stories

18 Stories

Dole's Foe Set
to Sue Over
'No God' Ad

Democrat Hagan, critics blast NC senator for attack on faith

(Newser) - Kay Hagan, the North Carolina Democrat challenging Elizabeth Dole for her US Senate seat, has launched a defamation suit, and counter-ad, against the incumbent after a Dole spot questioned Hagan’s belief in God, the Charlotte Observer reports. The ad showed Hagan, a Sunday-school teacher, while another woman’s voice intoned, “There is no God.” Hagan accuses Dole of “bearing false witness against fellow Christians.” More »

More about:  Election 2008 lawsuit Senate North Carolina political advertising attack ad defamation Elizabeth Dole Kay Hagan

Coleman Sues Franken in Minn. Senate Race

GOP incumbent says comedian rival's ads are defamatory, false

(Newser) - Minnesota's tight Senate race has turned litigious. Incumbent Norm Coleman sued opponent Al Franken today for character defamation, the Hill reports. Coleman’s campaign says ads claiming he is the “fourth most corrupt senator in Washington” are false and violate Minnesota campaign law. “Our ads are factual and true, even if Norm Coleman doesn't like being held accountable for his conduct,” said a Franken spokeswoman. More »

More about:  Election 2008 lawsuit Minnesota political advertising Al Franken Senate race Norm Coleman defamation

 Oprah Sued for 
 $180M in Extortion Case

Louisiana man claims false charges and FBI arrest damaged his reputation

(Newser) - A Louisiana man is suing Oprah Winfrey and the FBI for $180 million for falsely accusing him of extortion and damaging his reputation, Access Hollywood reports. Keifer Bonvillian was arrested in 2006 after recording conversations with—and accepting money from—a Harpo Productions employee. The extortion charges were dismissed after Bonvillian agreed to community service, drug testing, and restitution. A Winfrey lawyer denies the allegations. More »

More about:  lawsuit FBI Oprah Winfrey defamation extortion

Judge Tosses Wikipedia Defamation Suit

Judge says site
isn't responsible for user-generated content

(Newser) - A judge has thrown out a defamation suit against Wikipedia, upholding the principle that a website isn't responsible for user-generated content, Ars Technica reports. In the lawsuit, a literary agent charged that her Wikipedia entry damaged her reputation because it included nasty comments from bloggers and from a website that ranked her among the nation's worst agents. More »

More about:  Internet lawsuit Wikipedia defamation

Woman Sues Spitzer Call Girl in ID Theft

Dupre 'showed driver's license closeup to get on Girls Gone Wild'

(Newser) - A New Jersey woman has filed a federal lawsuit against Ashley Dupre—better known as Eliot Spitzer's high-priced call girl—and Girls Gone Wild for defamation and invasion of privacy for Dupre's use of the woman's lost driver's license on the raunchy program. More »

More about:  lawsuit Ashley Dupre defamation Girls Gone Wild identity card driver's license invasion of privacy

 50 Cent Sues Ex for $20M 

Rapper fights back after she goes public with  arson accusations 

(Newser) - 50 Cent has slapped the mother of his 11-year-old son with a $20 million defamation lawsuit, the New York Daily News reports. The rapper's ex has publicly accused him of being behind the blaze that forced her out of the home they once shared. 50 Cent—barred from contacting his ex by a restraining order issued yesterday—denies the allegations and complains she hasn't let him see his son since the fire. More »

More about:  celebrity lawsuit arson rapper defamation Long Island 50 Cent

 Roger's Pals Appeal: 
 Cut Your Losses! 

Friends want Rocket to drop suit, critics agree

(Newser) - Friends and critics of Roger Clemens agree on one thing: He's well beyond "say it ain't so" and entering "stop the bleeding" territory. Those close to the rambling family man are urging him to drop his defamation lawsuit against Brian McNamee, and a legal expert compares him to a lemming, reports the New York Daily News. More »

More about:  steroids Roger Clemens performance-enhancing drugs perjury Brian McNamee defamation Mindy McCready

2nd Nanny Sues Lowes for Sex Harrassment

This one points finger
at Rob Lowe's wife, calling her 'perverted'

(Newser) - Yet another nanny is suing over sexual harassment in the Rob Lowe household. Laura Boyce made her case yesterday in a teary-eyed presser in which she claimed that the actor's wife behaved in a "perverted, disgusting, and crude manner." With lawyer Gloria Allred's arm around her, Laura Boyce said she felt "betrayed" and "extremely upset" that the Lowes had earlier sued her, along with two employees, for being part of a $1.5-million extortion scheme. More »

More about:  Los Angeles civil lawsuits defamation sexual harassment nanny Rob Lowe Sheryl Berkoff

Clemens Had More Women, Source Says

'Family man' flew several in private jet; gave gifts of jewelry

(Newser) - It wasn't just country singer Mindy McCready that Roger Clemens carried on with, a source tells the New York Daily News. The former Major League pitcher apparently had several lovely lady friends whom he jetted across the country in his plane and presented with expensive jewelry. One of them admitted to knowing Clemens, but had no comment about their relationship. More »

More about:  Roger Clemens performance-enhancing drugs perjury Brian McNamee adultery defamation Mindy McCready

 Maddy 'Suspect' Sues UK Media 

Record libel suit rocks major outlets

(Newser) - A former suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is suing 12 British news organizations for libel. It's the largest number of claims ever against British media concerning a single issue, reports the Guardian . Robert Murat lived near the Portuguese vacation apartment where the McCanns were staying when the 3-year-old tyke disappeared, and he became the subject of intense police and media scrutiny. More »

More about:  Madeleine McCann Kate McCann Gerry McCann defamation libel British tabloids Robert Murat Praia da Luz British media

Tiger Victims File Claims Against San Francisco

Pair requests compensation in wake of Christmas attack at zoo

(Newser) - Paul and Kulbir Dhaliwal, the brothers attacked by a tiger Christmas Day at the San Francisco Zoo, filed claims yesterday against the city for damages, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. They are requesting an unspecified amount, claiming they suffered physical and emotional trauma in the attack, which took the life of their friend Carlos Sousa. More »

More about:  lawsuit San Francisco Zoo defamation tiger mauling negligence tiger attack Paul Dhaliwal Kulbir Dhaliwal

Peggy Sue Got...Sued for Libel by Charlie

Nicolas Cage sues former co-star Kathleen Turner over claims in new book

(Newser) - National Treasure star Nicolas Cage is suing siren Kathleen Turner for libel over a passage in her autobiography, "Send Yourself Roses," in which she claims her co-star was drunk and difficult on the set of the 1986 movie Peggy Sue Got Married . Cage filed the lawsuit in London where libel laws tend to favor the plaintiff, reports the BBC. More »

More about:  dog defamation libel Nicolas Cage Francis Ford Coppola High Court chihuahua Kathleen Turner

Clemens: Ex-Trainer Lied in '01 Rape Case

Rocket's lawsuit
goes after
McNamee's character

(Newser) - Roger Clemens' personal trainer was involved in a 2001 rape investigation in which police believed he lied, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The Rocket, in his defamation suit filed against Brian McNamee on Sunday, points to the incident as an example of further dishonesty on the part of the trainer who accuses Clemens of steroid use. More »

Cell Tower Company Sues Impostor CEO

Rival founder accused of impersonating executive online

(Newser) - Cellular infrastructure company American Tower Corp has sued Jide Zeitlin, the founder of one of its direct competitors, accusing him of impersonating its chief executive through an email sent to investors. Zeitlin allegedly provided Money magazine with negative reports regarding American Tower, later forwarding the published article online with the American Tower chief’s email address listed as the sender. More »

More about:  cell phones fraud defamation cell phone towers