UPDATE: Mass Lawyers Weekly feature is in the comments.My the proteas sure are pretty at Todd & Weld. That's good because the litigation is about to be ugly as hell. Here's the story and my comment.
PoorMarsha, you are quite wrong. I have all the documents and the Herald and Channel 7 are going down, down, down. The charges were DISMISSED, the documents are on my blog, hahahaaa....
Who do you think took Ms. Marinova over to Todd & Weld?
I got radio shows, videos, all of that.
http://christopher-king.blogspot.com/2010/01/kingcast-tells-jessica-van-sack-and.html
http://christopher-king.blogspot.com/2010/04/kingcast-challenges-governor-patrick-to.html
Have a nice day.
-The KingCaster.
PS: Dan Kennedy's take on it.
PPS: Here's a crucial post from Christmas evening.
PPPS: Racist, you ask? Yep. Just ask "Boone the Coon." More background on DOC investigations, including the Harshbarger report, is here.
Boston Herald target of another suit filed by Todd & Weld
ReplyDeleteBy Mass. Lawyers Weekly Staff
Published: April 12, 2010
The paper chase
For the second time in less than a month - and the seemingly umpteenth time over the past few years - the law firm of Todd & Weld has served the Boston Herald with an explosive defamation lawsuit.
This time, David H. Rich asserts in a March 31 complaint that the tabloid and Herald scribe Jessica Van Sack falsely reported that Joanna Marinova had been unceremoniously booted from a Bridgewater prison visit after engaging in "sexual acts" with inmate Darrell Jones. The piece was picked up by national media outlets including Fox News and The Associated Press.
Rich - who was part of the Boston legal team that brought home a $2.1 million verdict in 2005 against the Herald on behalf of Superior Court Judge Ernest B. Murphy - claims the newspaper's May 28, 2009, story intended to sensationalize a visit Rep. Gloria Fox had made to the Old Colony prison in Bridgewater to investigate alleged incidents of inmate abuse. In doing so, Rich says, the Herald falsely reported that prison-rights advocate Marinova had been earlier "'bagged' for engaging in 'sexual acts' with [a] killer con," in the prison's visitor room.
"Marinova never engaged in 'sexual acts' with Mr. Jones, nor could she (or would she) have done so in this public space," Rich writes in the complaint.
But in publishing the high-profile story aimed at discrediting Fox, Rich tells Lawyers Weekly, the Herald blatantly ignored readily available facts that would have demonstrated the falsity of its assertions.
All of the alleged acts, Rich says, were reported to have occurred in a guarded room during a November 2008 meeting between Marinova and Jones.
"For the stories to be true, this would have had to have happened in front of dozens of witnesses, on camera and in front of armed guards who were overseeing the visits," he says. "Our position is that this physically could not have happened, and any sort of investigating by the Herald would have shown that."
On top of that, Rich says, he believes the paper had in its possession, months before the story was published, disciplinary reports that proved the events never took place and was aware that prison officials had dismissed the sexual allegations against Jones.
Herald spokeswoman Gwen Gigo confirmed that the newspaper is in receipt of the complaint but declined to comment on the matter.
The suit also names WHDH-TV, which aired a follow-up story that reported Marinova had "been caught having sex with the prisoner in a visitor's area."
Prior to the story being aired, the complaint says, WHDH reporter Byron Barnett went to Marinova's home and told neighbors she "had been caught having sex with inmates."
The station's general manager could not be reached for comment prior to deadline.
The allegations against the Herald and WHDH were lodged in Suffolk Superior Court, which happens to be the same place Todd & Weld partner Howard V. Cooper named the Herald and Inside Track reporters Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa as defendants in a March 10 complaint.
In that case, the firm, which represents Boston band founder Tom Scholz, claims the newspaper defamed him by falsely suggesting that the ex-wife of former lead singer Brad Delp blamed Scholz for her former husband's suicide.
Elizabeth A. Ritvo of Brown Rudnick in Boston, who has defended the newspaper in the past against Todd & Weld, did not return a call seeking comment.
"There is no question that we have had multiple interactions with the Herald over the past several years, only some of which rise to the level of a necessity of a lawsuit," Rich says. "I guess there is some degree of coincidence in the timing of these last two."
FROM THE DESK OF
ReplyDeleteRev. WILLIAM E. DICKERSON II
I am writing to follow up on the May 2009 story involving the correct outcome of Rep. Gloria Fox’s investigative visit to MCI Old Colony State Prison. The media released a false story accusing Rep Fox of sneaking into the prison a girlfriend of an inmate. The Department of Corrections (DOC) officials checked out the alleged incident but found no reason to further investigate it.
Furthermore it was confirmed that inmate Darrell Jones and visitor, Joanna Marinova did not have any sexual contact. Darrell Jones is a lifer currently serving time at MCI Norfolk State Prison and he is the creator of the successful Behind the Walls Video Production.
Darrell has been involved with antiviolence efforts for years. Unfortunately, his youngest son was murdered in Boston and I funeralized him. I commend Him and other inmates for reaching out to our youth in a positive manner.
This truth needs to be shared to bring proper closure to this story. As a member of the clergy I am concerned that we support our elected officials as they look into issues concerning their constituents, including those whose family members are incarcerated.
All of us should be concerned why Gloria Fox was targeted in such an adverse manner. We should always seek truth and support social justice on all levels even among inmates.
We should be concerned about the plight of prisoners, because they are still apart of our community. I personally have profound sentiments for victims of crime and their families.
I understand the pain on both sides because I had a nephew who was murdered however we must be cognizant to do all things with justice and equity in our view. We ought to commend Rep Fox for her willingness to look into prison issues and promote fairness and justice. I pray for peace and healing on the streets of our nation and behind prison walls. I yet believe with the utmost profundity that some of the answers to curtailing violence among our nation can be found in the voices behind the prison walls.
For truth sake....