Newdow ("under God" in Pledge) wins $1 million libel award

[UpInArms]

http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/9612420p-10535871c.html

Michael Newdow, the Sacramento atheist at the center of the Pledge of Allegiance case, won a $1 million judgment Thursday in a libel suit against a minister.

After a brief hearing, Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Steven K. Austin entered a default judgment of $1,000,645.96 against Chaplain Austin Miles.

The Antioch minister never responded to Newdow's lawsuit and did not appear in court to defend himself.

<snip>

"The man fabricated a quote and accused me of perjury, based on his fabrication," Newdow said after the judgment Thursday.

...more...

just some more of those 10 commandment (thou shall not lie) respecting (NOT!) xtians.

[derby378]

1. Good for Newdow!

Such a shame about Austin Miles, though - he briefly left the Religious Right after the PTL scandal and wrote a book called Don't Call Me Brother about his experiences. Since then, though, he's changed sides (and his story) so many times he just doesn't seem credible anymore.


Want to purchase this sticker? Send me a private message!

[sniffa]

2. haha

i hope the parishioners have deep pockets.

[yellowcanine]

5. I doubt he has any parishioners. - This guy doesn't sound like your

typical pastor.

An Internet search for Miles turned up articles and listings on evangelical sites, identifying himself as "former law student," "interdenominational chaplain" and former "circus ringmaster."

[Ilsa]

11. At least he'll have a judgment against him.

If he ever hits the motherload, he'll have to pay up.

[stevedeshazer]

3. Another confused radical rightie

His web site is something else.



Some of the items as follows:

God Warns America 

President Bush, Iraq, Patriot Heroes & Troops: Our forefathers would applaud!

Stand up against Sex Ed Porn in public school

Militant Homosexual Gays forcing their agenda

News Coverage of Islam in Public Schools

Christ Abandoned, answer the call to sign petition links, be counted!

Free Original Christian Art, Music & Sculpture

Hearing God & Personally Witnessed  Miracles

God and Mel Gibson

John Walker Lindh & California school proselytizing

How Clinton, ACLU rigged Religious Guidelines & U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton

Islam proselytized in Public School

Homeschool or Public School

Militant Terrorist Islam

http://www.blessedcause.org/TOC/Main%20Index.htm

[ChickMagic]

6. Gosh, and I got in trouble for this!

It was my Easter card, thanks to the Onion:

[stevedeshazer]

7. That's a beauty! eom

[ChickMagic]

12. Oh yeah, thanks! But there's more!

[mark0rama]

20. That got you in trouble?

Maybe it's because the bunny's not wearing pants!

[underpants]

4. I'm glad that all of the prayers for him succeeded

:spank::bounce:

[Timefortruth]

8. Wrong thread

[proud patriot]

9. I found this about Austin Miles of Antioch

http://www.weatherfirstnow.com/community/listens/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1734&whichpage=6

[tom_paine]

10. Sounds like a Freeper got some JUSTICE!

Nice to see that still happens occasionally.

That Minister of the AntiChrist got what he desrved.

Lying Freeper Fuck!

[Sandpiper]

13. Lyin' fer Jesus ain't a sin

Not to the wingnuts anyway.

[chimpy the poopthrower]

14. Apparently this is what the media considers a reliable source.

The suit's basis was an article by (Chaplain Austin) Miles, widely quoted in the press, accusing Newdow of perjury, a crime.

...

Miles contended that Newdow falsely testified under oath in court that his daughter had suffered "emotional damage, stress, anxiety and a sense of being left out" because she was forced to recite the pledge with the phrase "under God."

So why were this guy's Internet rantings "widely quoted in the press"? Don't journalists realize that courts have stenographers who make transcripts of proceedings? Newdow's testimony is, I assume, available as public information. Obviously a lot of journalists decided it was easier to quote some anonymous Internet source than actually verify the information for themselves before printing these lies.

In the course of the suit, Newdow has said many things, but he insists he never made the statement that Miles attributed to him.

And why is this article implying even now that we have only Newdow's word as to whether or not he gave this testimony? The testimony must still be available for any journalist to see, but if they're still too lazy, can't they at least go by the fact that Newdow won his suit instead of making it seem that it is still Newdow's word against Miles' word?

I hope Newdow's next step is to go after the media who printed or reported Miles' lies.

Incidentally, I can't help noticing this line:

By claiming (Newdow gave that testimony) and that it was perjury, Miles damaged (Newdow's) reputation and caused him other forms of harm, including "hurt feelings," the libel suit said.

Am I paranoid or could it be that the writer of this article included the "hurt feelings" part just to make Newdow look foolish? I'm sure that the false accusations against Newdow caused much greater harm (e.g. loss of income, harmed reputation) than just hurt feelings, but only "hurt feelings" is directly referenced here. It may be that the phrase has a slightly different connotation in a legal document, and it may be that it's common practice to include every possible injury in a lawsuit rather than just the most significant (just as the police typically include very minor charges against some suspects even when much more heinous ones are also present).

I also am not sure why this Miles person is referred to here as a "minister" since he lists his professions variously as "former law student," "interdenominational chaplain" and former "circus ringmaster." Why not call him a "circus ringmaster" (although any of those descriptions ought to have "self-described" in front of it)? Does anyone in the media even know anything about this person whom they felt free to use as source without any other verification or secondary sources?

[UpInArms]

17. thanks for that excellent analysis

chimpy the poopthrower!

Great questions - wish that you were teaching journalism!

[chimpy the poopthrower]

18. Aw, shucks!

(blush) :)

I don't have any kind of journalism background (except for reading the Daily Howler), but I do have a job where I have to be careful about verifying things.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

15. Not to rain on people's parades but...

...does he have a realistic hope of actually COLLECTING the dough?

(I'd love to be proved wrong)

[chimpy the poopthrower]

16. The article says he dosn't have much chance of collecting.

But at least he has moral vindication. And perhaps he can use this victory to help him sue the media who printed Miles' lies? :shrug:

[Just Me]

19. Judgment by default is good enough for me. Congrats to Newdow. n/t

[republicansareevil]

21. Good for Newdow!

At least he salvaged his good name. But I bet a lot more people saw the lies than will see the truth.