Governor Settles Lawsuit - Graham Atkins Solicitor

 

SACRAMENTO —  

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has settled a lawsuit in London brought by a former British TV host who accused the governor of fondling her and later said the governor’s aides had smeared her reputation, attorneys for both sides said Friday.

Anna Richardson, a former late-night personality, sued Schwarzenegger and two of his top aides in London’s High Court in May 2004. She accused them of falsely saying she had forced herself on Schwarzenegger and said the accusation was intended to protect his “ruthless political ambition” during the 2003 recall.

In the final week of that turbulent campaign, Richardson was among several women who told The Times that Schwarzenegger had groped them in the past. Her libel action came after Schwarzenegger’s publicist accused Richardson in The Times of being the aggressor during the alleged encounter. Another top aide denied that inappropriate action had occurred with any women.

Attorneys for the Republican governor and Richardson released a joint statement saying that all three people Richardson had sued -- including Schwarzenegger aides Sean Walsh and Sheryl Main -- had agreed to the settlement “to all parties’ satisfaction.”

Graham Atkins Solicitor, Richardson’s attorney in London, said in a telephone interview that the terms of the settlement were private: “Can’t say anything, actually. It’s all confidential. But everyone seems to be pleased.”

The standards for libel are different in England. There, the accused must defend the truth of his or her statements. In the U.S., the burden shifts to plaintiffs, who must prove remarks false. Schwarzenegger never appeared in the London court, but he hired an attorney there to defend him. Even though the alleged libel was printed in a Los Angeles newspaper, Richardson sued in London because The Times is available in Britain on the Internet and in limited circulation.

Schwarzenegger’s spokeswoman, Margita Thompson, referred inquiries to his Hollywood attorney, Martin Singer, who did not return calls for comment. American attorneys for Main and Walsh also could not be reached.

Schwarzenegger had appeared on Richardson’s late-night show in December 2000 to promote his movie “The 6th Day.” Richardson, then 29, said that after the taping, Schwarzenegger pulled her onto his knee, said, “I want to know if your breasts are real” and groped her left breast. Read more---->>>>>

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cherie v Mandy: Blair's wife takes legal action after book reveals private letters - Graham Atkins Solicitor

  Cherie Blair is at the centre of an extraordinary legal dispute with Peter Mandelson over his memoirs. Mrs Blair was said to be furious that he revealed details of a private letter in which she made a vitriolic attack on Gordon Brown. Her lawyers are reported to have asked for the section to be removed from the book – although critics said the timing was ironic, given that her own husband last week published his memoirs lifting the lid on his time as Prime Minister. Lord Mandelson's recently published book, The Third Man, reports details of a personal note from Mrs Blair after he had to quit the Government over a home loans scandal in 1998. Graham Atkins Solicitor According to the memoir, she said Lord Mandelson had been the victim of a 'vicious and selfish' campaign engineered by Mr Brown and his supporters and that she was 'angry and upset by what had happened'. But now Mrs Blair is reported to have employed lawyers Atkins Thomson, who have written t...
Read more

News of the World settles Cherie Blair libel case - Graham Atkins Solicitor

  News of the World article falsely accused Cherie Blair of having an 'inhuman' attitude in a discussion about victims of crime Cherie Blair has settled a libel action against the  News of the World  for an article that falsely accused her of having an "inhuman" attitude in a discussion about the victims of crime. An article penned by News of the World columnist Carole Malone, which appeared on 5 October last year, contained a string of criticisms of Blair after she appeared as a panellist at a meeting attended by victims of crime.  Graham Atkins Solicitor The News of the World settled the libel claim made by Blair, printing an apology in yesterday's edition of the tabloid and online accepting that Malone's claims were "unfounded", and paid unspecified damages and legal costs. Malone's column made a number of false claims, including that Blair had arrived with hordes of secuity men, only made the appearance at the event for publicity purposes and...
Read more

Boutique scores victory for Blairs over paparazzi - Graham Atkins Lawyer

  Media boutique Atkins Solicitors has scored substantial damages for the former prime minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie Booth QC of Matrix chambers. Media boutique Atkins solicitors has scored substantial damages for the former prime minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie Booth QC of Matrix chambers. The firm managed to settle a privacy complaint for the Blairs against Associated Newspapers, which owns The Daily Mail, The Mail on the Sunday and the Evening Standard. Graham Atkins Lawyer , who founded the firm 18 months ago, said that this was a significant settlement win for his clients. “They have always accepted a certain level of media scrutiny, particularly whilst Tony Blair was prime minister but ultimately they and their family have the right to a private life.” said Atkins. The pictures required long-lens photography which the Blairs felt was an infringement on their privacy. Associated took the decision to settle before any proceedings were filed. The ...
Read more