Blogger jailed in Anna Nicole Smith defamation suit - GoFuckYourself.com

Rangermoore · 06-01-2009, 02:03 AM

HOUSTON, Texas (AFP) - A real estate agent in Houston who blogged about Anna Nicole Smith was jailed for contempt last week in a defamation case brought by the late Playboy model's mother.

Legal experts said bloggers are increasingly the targets of such litigation, which are testing the bounds of free speech.

Lyndal Harrington, who is accused of helping to spread falsehoods that Virgie Arthur married her stepbrother and abused Smith as a child, spent four nights in jail after she failed to comply with a court order to turn over her computer.

The 53-year-old grandmother claimed her computer was stolen during a burglary less than a week after it was subpoenaed.

A police officer testified that he believed the theft was staged and judge Tony Lindsay ordered Harrington to produce the computer by July 2 or she will again face incarceration.

Harrington says she is shocked that she is being sued for comments posted on someone else's blog to pass the time.

"I just voiced my opinion," said Lyndal Harrington of her posts about Smith and Arthur on the website "Rose Speaks."

Like many bloggers, Harrington doesn't consider herself a publisher and did not realize she could be held liable for her posts.

"I got into this because my business had fallen apart in this economy and it was something to do," she told AFP. "I developed a lot of friendships with women who are retired or ill at home."

Three other bloggers are named in the suit along with Smith's former companion, Howard K. Stern, and Larry Birkhead, the father of her daughter, Dannielynn.

Arthur alleges that the defendants conspired to defame her so she wouldn't get custody of Dannielynn, who could inherit up to 88 million dollars.

"Lyndall Harrington is a liar who faked a burglary," said Neil McCabe who represents Arthur.

"She's part of a conspiracy to defame my client and she's done her own defaming of my client."

Lawsuits against bloggers in the United States have been doubling every year since 2004 with 15 million dollars in judgments so far against them, according to Robert Cox, president of the Media Bloggers Association.

"A lot of bloggers think of themselves as individuals or maybe writers but in the courts, they are considered a publisher," Cox said.

His organization has created an on-line course with Harvard Law School, City of New York School of Journalism and News University at the Poynter Institute at Northwestern University to educate bloggers about their legal rights and responsibilities.

"A lot of these cases could have been avoided if things had been worded just a little differently or if they had double sourced their information," Cox said.

"Most of the time, these people are not trained journalists."

The spike in suits is due in part to the burgeoning number of bloggers.

About 175,000 new blogs are created every day according to hahahahahahahahahaha, a blog search engine.

But it also has to do with people's growing obsession with controlling their on-line reputations and new technologies that allow them to do it.

"With Google alerts and rss feeds, it's a lot easier to monitor what's being said about you," said Sam Bayard, assistant director of the Citizen Media Law Project at Harvard University.

Moreover, the technology exists to find anonymous bloggers.

"People can find you," said Cox at the Media Blogger Association, which this year began offering its members legal expenses insurance for an annual fee of 540 dollars for 100,000 dollars of coverage.

The majority of cases against bloggers are for defamation but they are also frequently sued for copyright infringement and invasion of privacy.

"There's this Wild West mentality where people think they can do anything on the Web and not be held liable," said Bayard.

While state laws vary on what constitutes defamation and who qualifies as a journalist and thus who can protect sources, Bayard said, judges have consistently applied the same standards to blogs as they would any other medium of expression.

"Defamation is defamation no matter whether it is written on paper or on a blog," he said.
================================================== =================

sortie · 06-01-2009, 06:43 AM

People should blog about stuff they actually know something about, that would be the moral.

brassmonkey · 06-01-2009, 06:47 AM

hahaha!!

seeandsee · 06-01-2009, 07:06 AM

bloggers under fire

candyflip · 06-01-2009, 07:10 AM

Virgie Arthur is a cunt. She just wants the money.

Pleasurepays · 06-01-2009, 07:14 AM

she was jailed for contempt of court... not for writing about something. but the idiots here won't even notice in their "big brother" bullshit.

pornguy · 06-01-2009, 07:34 AM

Sounds like a violation her rights anyway. Are they going to make a reporter turn over his computer, typewriter, Pen???

06-01-2009, 02:03 AM	#1
Rangermoore Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: EVERYWHERE Posts: 1,541	Blogger jailed in Anna Nicole Smith defamation suit HOUSTON, Texas (AFP) - A real estate agent in Houston who blogged about Anna Nicole Smith was jailed for contempt last week in a defamation case brought by the late Playboy model's mother. Legal experts said bloggers are increasingly the targets of such litigation, which are testing the bounds of free speech. Lyndal Harrington, who is accused of helping to spread falsehoods that Virgie Arthur married her stepbrother and abused Smith as a child, spent four nights in jail after she failed to comply with a court order to turn over her computer. The 53-year-old grandmother claimed her computer was stolen during a burglary less than a week after it was subpoenaed. A police officer testified that he believed the theft was staged and judge Tony Lindsay ordered Harrington to produce the computer by July 2 or she will again face incarceration. Harrington says she is shocked that she is being sued for comments posted on someone else's blog to pass the time. "I just voiced my opinion," said Lyndal Harrington of her posts about Smith and Arthur on the website "Rose Speaks." Like many bloggers, Harrington doesn't consider herself a publisher and did not realize she could be held liable for her posts. "I got into this because my business had fallen apart in this economy and it was something to do," she told AFP. "I developed a lot of friendships with women who are retired or ill at home." Three other bloggers are named in the suit along with Smith's former companion, Howard K. Stern, and Larry Birkhead, the father of her daughter, Dannielynn. Arthur alleges that the defendants conspired to defame her so she wouldn't get custody of Dannielynn, who could inherit up to 88 million dollars. "Lyndall Harrington is a liar who faked a burglary," said Neil McCabe who represents Arthur. "She's part of a conspiracy to defame my client and she's done her own defaming of my client." Lawsuits against bloggers in the United States have been doubling every year since 2004 with 15 million dollars in judgments so far against them, according to Robert Cox, president of the Media Bloggers Association. "A lot of bloggers think of themselves as individuals or maybe writers but in the courts, they are considered a publisher," Cox said. His organization has created an on-line course with Harvard Law School, City of New York School of Journalism and News University at the Poynter Institute at Northwestern University to educate bloggers about their legal rights and responsibilities. "A lot of these cases could have been avoided if things had been worded just a little differently or if they had double sourced their information," Cox said. "Most of the time, these people are not trained journalists." The spike in suits is due in part to the burgeoning number of bloggers. About 175,000 new blogs are created every day according to hahahahahahahahahaha, a blog search engine. But it also has to do with people's growing obsession with controlling their on-line reputations and new technologies that allow them to do it. "With Google alerts and rss feeds, it's a lot easier to monitor what's being said about you," said Sam Bayard, assistant director of the Citizen Media Law Project at Harvard University. Moreover, the technology exists to find anonymous bloggers. "People can find you," said Cox at the Media Blogger Association, which this year began offering its members legal expenses insurance for an annual fee of 540 dollars for 100,000 dollars of coverage. The majority of cases against bloggers are for defamation but they are also frequently sued for copyright infringement and invasion of privacy. "There's this Wild West mentality where people think they can do anything on the Web and not be held liable," said Bayard. While state laws vary on what constitutes defamation and who qualifies as a journalist and thus who can protect sources, Bayard said, judges have consistently applied the same standards to blogs as they would any other medium of expression. "Defamation is defamation no matter whether it is written on paper or on a blog," he said. ================================================== ================= __________________

06-01-2009, 06:43 AM	#2
sortie Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 7,771	People should blog about stuff they actually know something about, that would be the moral. __________________

06-01-2009, 06:47 AM	#3
brassmonkey Pay It Forward Industry Role: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Yo Mama House Posts: 77,172	hahaha!! __________________ TRUMP 2025 KEKAW!!! - The Laken Riley Act Is Law! DACA ENDED - SUPPORT AZ HCR 2060 52R - email: brassballz-at-techie.com

06-01-2009, 07:06 AM	#4
seeandsee Check SIG! Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europe (Skype: gojkoas) Posts: 50,945	bloggers under fire __________________ BUY MY SIG - 50$/Year Contact here

06-01-2009, 07:10 AM	#5
candyflip Carpe Visio Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: New York Posts: 43,061	Virgie Arthur is a cunt. She just wants the money. __________________ Spend you some brain. Email Me

06-01-2009, 07:14 AM	#6
Pleasurepays BANNED - SUPPORTING TUBES Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I live in a pile of boogers Posts: 11,913	she was jailed for contempt of court... not for writing about something. but the idiots here won't even notice in their "big brother" bullshit.

06-01-2009, 07:34 AM	#7
pornguy Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Homeless Posts: 62,911	Sounds like a violation her rights anyway. Are they going to make a reporter turn over his computer, typewriter, Pen??? __________________ PornGuy skype me pornguy_epic AmateurDough The Hottes Shemales online! TChicks.com \| Angeles Cid \| Mariana Cordoba \| MAILERS WELCOME!