Becks lodges appeal to overturn court decision to throw out libel case
March 18th, 2011 - 2:41 pm ICT by ANI
London, March 18 (ANI): Soccer ace David Beckham has launched a battle to overturn a court’s decision to throw out his 15.5 million-pound libel claim against a U.S. magazine which printed false sex slurs.
Last year, In Touch published an article claiming Beckham paid a 2,000 pounds-a-night prostitute, Irma Nici, and a “mystery brunette” for sex at New York’s Le Parker Meridien Hotel in August 2007.
Beckham immediately began legal action but his plans to sue were thwarted last month when a judge threw the case out.
He said the star’s lawyers failed to prove the publisher, German media giant Bauer, acted with “malice” in the case. As a result, they could not argue that Nici was not allowed the right to “free speech”, a U.S. constitutional right.
The 35-year-old footballer had hoped to prove the prostitute was lying in the courts after she alleged they had a fling. But Judge Manuel Real threw out his action in a court in Los Angeles on February 14.
However, Beckham has now lodged his appeal with the United States District Court’s Central District Of California, Western Divison.
The Daily Mail has learned that Beckham will attempt to prove that Bauer acted maliciously in publishing the false claims - having already accepted the claims are false.
In the appeal, he will say that documents which show this are in Bauer’s possession - and he will ask the court to order them to hand them over.
He will also claim they acted - with malice - by relying on the word of two
“admitted criminals” Nici and a witness, notorious former madam Kirstin Davis.
They will contend that Bauer did not obtain any “documentary evidence” of Nici’s allegations and will highlight the firm’s reliance “on paid informants who happen to be admitted criminals.”
They will also say the firm failed to give Beckham “reasonable time to demonstrate the story was false before it was published.”
“David is appealing both rulings and is confident justice will prevail,” the Daily Mail quoted a spokesman for Beckham as confirming.(ANI)
- Becks' $25m lawsuit over 'cheating claims' thrown out - Feb 15, 2011
- David Beckham's sex case gets murkier - Jan 23, 2011
- Becks files lawsuit over claims he cheated on his wife with a hooker - Dec 31, 2010
- Becks 'told to pay legal costs of US mag over tart lies' - Apr 11, 2011
- Beckham denies affair with prostitute, sues US magazine - Dec 31, 2010
- David Beckham's libel suit dismissed - Feb 16, 2011
- Hooker who claims she bedded Becks could face lie detector test - Sep 26, 2010
- Becks wages legal war against hooker's threesome claims - Sep 23, 2010
- Beckham denies he slept with hooker in five-page court statement - Jan 17, 2011
- David Beckham to sue prostitute for $8 mn - Sep 24, 2010
- Beckham sues tabloid over sex claims - Sep 26, 2010
- Becks is Counter-Sued: Hooker Irma Nici Sues David Beckham - Oct 04, 2010
- Despite David Beckham's threat to sue In Touch Magazine, the magazine reveals more details about his affair - Sep 24, 2010
- David remains focus on bringing lying prostitute to justice - Oct 04, 2010
- Beckhams expecting fourth child - Jan 10, 2011
Tags: central district of california, constitutional right, daily mail, david beckham, documentary evidence, fling, footballer, german media giant, informants, le parker meridien, le parker meridien hotel, libel case, libel claim, london march, malice, nici, parker meridien hotel, s central, states district court, united states district