October 15, 2012

I recently received an email from a law student in Scotland who wanted to know what happened to my appeal in the Larry King case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where I asked for a remand back to the lower court for a trial, giving grounds, or maybe, fingers crossed, they’d make a ruling for me at their level. Lol.

This case arose a few years after my divorce from Lynn was over, remember, and she’d been doing the rounds to promote her book, which she’d written with our daughter’s very graphic photographic illustrations, to show how she had overcome breast cancer. This is what happened:

The Ninth Circuit is based in San Francisco, and travels around the state. I booked a time a few weeks later when they would be in Pasadena so I could give my “oral” argument, where the real decisions are made, if they haven’t already been.

I had filed all the necessary paperwork, followed their protocol and “Court Rules” (copies, bindings, the record, etc.). But I then sent a request, in the form of a letter with duplicates, asking if I could bring a monitor and tape player to the oral and play parts of the actual Lynn Redgrave broadcast, so they could more clearly understand that the chyron scrolling in the lower third of the screen during the interview contained words which were untrue and gave intentional false meaning and innuendo on what was being discussed in the interview, which was supposed to be about how she had recovered from breast cancer. My concern was not least about the fact that the juxtaposition of the words flashing by was intended to suggest that somehow my behavior had contributed to it. And of course, the taped show had been doctored days later, before it was broadcast.

To my astonishment, I received a formal reply letter stating that my request amounted to “discovery”, and that it was untimely, and the request was denied. I felt screwed.

By now I was thoroughly disheartened, and didn’t lock up my appointment. I did nothing more. CNN’s lawyers had prepared an agreement for me to execute, saying that I apologized for challenging their right to say anything they like about public figures under 1st Amendment prerogatives, in return for which they would not ask for their legal fees and costs. I ignored it, and waited for the S.L.A.P.P. It never came, and Lynn died 6 years later. From breast cancer. I hear her book sold well.

I’ve heard nothing since.

I met Piers Morgan a few weeks ago at a charity event. I asked if he’d like to interview me, I’m available, but he didn’t look enthusiastic. (Maybe when MY book’s ready?)

I don’t really think anyone cares about the CNN case any more. Life has a way of moving on, and I’m sorting out the good things from the first 30 years of our partnership.

This site is designed to express disgust at the workings of the California version of the U.S. justice system, and tries to help others venturing into it, with or without a lawyer. That’s my revenge.