From Larisa Alexandrovna (NOT for publication): After Mr. Renner's article ran, my editor sent a point-by-point letter to his editors addressing the inconsistencies, misrepresentations, and manipulations in his article. He also called him and was promptly insulted. His editors responded with a generic two sentence email telling us that they take such claims seriously, but after an investigation, they felt they did not need to retract or correct or allow me to respond. They never addressed a single point.
My editor then went to Mr. Renner's publisher with the same point-by-point letter. The publisher first responded harshly claiming that any appearance of defamation was our reading into the article, not because it was IN the article. A second email to my editor - after my interview with MCM -was more polite and requested a meeting for this past Monday. My editor agreed, but the publisher did not show (via phone), nor did the publisher contact my editor to cancel the meeting (more professional behavior). In addition, I have asked Mr. Renner to answer 9 questions, which MCM has published. Mr. Renner has not responded for several days now, suggesting to me that he has no interest in answering the questions presented to him. Renner also failed to produce the restraining order or documents filed for a restraining order against me, which he made claims of. He has failed to produce the threatening post card that Mrs.Connell - he claims - had gotten. He has also failed to list the un-named groups he claims were threatening Mrs. Connell. Finally, Mr. Renner, in a second libel against me, told MCM in a statement to my interview that his recollection (the reporter is now the source?), Mrs. Connell's recollection, and Mr. Randy Cole's recollection differed from mine. He called me a liar based on conversations he claims to have had with Mr. Cole and Mrs. Connell. The problem is, Mr. Cole never met me and did not know about the meeting in the park with Mrs. Connell. How then could his recollection differ? It can't and it does not. Mr. Cole has provided me with a letter/statement in which he makes clear what he said to Mr. Renner and in short, not a word about me or my meeting with Heather Connell. Mr. Cole provided this statement to us to use in whatever action we take against the Cleveland Scene, although we are trying to get permission to make it fully public. The Cleveland Scene has been made aware that one of Mr. Renner's alleged sources denies his allegations, the publication continues to not respond - I assume hoping this goes away. Had it not been for Mr. Renner's arrogance, insults, and outright lies, this matter would not have gone this far. But since he won't correct and apologize, and since his publication won't do the ethical thing, and since he fabricated what he claims a source said (although this does not excuse him from his responsibility to allow me to comment), I am taking legal action. Mr. Renner has admitted in public that he had no intention of letting me comment, thereby admitting intended malice. He cited two people he claims convinced him that I was a liar, one of whom denies that and in a written statement. That leaves only Mrs. Connell, a woman who has just lost her husband and who appears to admit in Mr. Renner's article to defrauding the government. If she provides a statement to us indicating that everything in the article is true, then she is admitting to fraud as well. My guess is that her lawyers won't be backing Mr. Renner's claims either. In any case, she is the single source, there is no other and that is assuming what Mr. Renner reported Mrs. Connell said is true. MCM has seen Mr. Cole's statement and can vouch for what I have said. My attorney has sent a letter to the publisher demanding a retraction. It is their final warning. Given that in Mr. Renner's very short career as a journalist - about 5 years - he has already been sued for defamation in a medical story (and alleged to have lied in a murder story he covered), it is unclear why the Cleveland Scene finds it necessary to destroy themselves over him. In this case, however, Mr. Renner has admitted to intent to defame me in his statement to MCM. I wanted to give everyone an update on this matter. I have always wanted to own a newspaper and now I will:) LA --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to Mark Crispin Miller's "News From Underground" newsgroup. To unsubscribe, send a blank email to [email protected] OR go to http://groups.google.com/group/newsfromunderground and click on the "Unsubscribe or change membership" link in the yellow bar at the top of the page, then click the "Unsubscribe" button on the next page. For more News From Underground, visit http://markcrispinmiller.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
