I suspect the issue here is not libel, but rather the unauthorized use of Chuck's name to make a profit (Which is potentially legally actionable, it's the profit issue, not the distribution that makes the case.). This is the same reason why model releases are needed for Commercial Photography.
-Adam On 12/28/07, frank theriault <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On Dec 23, 2007 3:47 PM, John Francis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > I doubt if that happened. I suspect the lawyers (not exactly a > > group known for risk taking) probably feel they have a good case. > > > > I think I agree with them. I see no significant difference from a > > legal standpoint between passing silly "facts" around on the internet > > (which you seem to feel is somehow OK) and publishing them in a book. > > I'm no expert in the law of defamation, but I recall that humour is a > good defense to libel. > > I'm quite certain that Penguin's legal department would have had a > quick look at the thing before publishing, and obviously they were > satisfied that there was nothing actionable in the book. > > As for Chuck's lawyers (and lawyers in general), they don't care if > they have a good case, they care if they have a retainer from their > client. Lot's of flimsy lawsuits have been filed for reasons ~other > than~ that they have a chance of winning in court. > > Last time I saw Mr. Norris, it was doing an infomercial for an > exercise machine. I'm guessing that he'd do almost anything to revive > a flagging career. The publicity of a lawsuit could be just what he > wants. > > I agree with Mark. It'll never get to trial. It will settle (and the > results of said settlement will never see the light of day - a > standard term in any settlement is non-disclosure of terms by either > party). > > cheers, > frank > -- > "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." -Henri Cartier-Bresson > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. > -- M. Adam Maas http://www.mawz.ca Explorations of the City Around Us. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
