Art Bell files suit against Stephens and Oates
From: campbell@ufomind.com (Glenn Campbell, Las Vegas)
Date: Fri, 28 May 1999 14:45:41 -0700
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The world of internet ufology is filled with threatened lawsuits that
never materialize, but now one has actually been filed in California.
Art Bell has sued his detractors Robert A.M. Stephens and David John
Oates, who have publically accused Bell of pedophilia and child
pornography among other things.
You can find the court filing at:
http://www.artbell.net/court/complaint.html
Although people are always accusing each other of heinous things
on the internet, Stephens and Oates seem to have significantly
crossed the line -- from vague accusations of government agentry
to specific false claims of past criminal behavior. Bell appears to
have a strong case.... up to the point of assessing damage to his
reputation. (Does he have one to lose?)
This brings back fond memories of my own "Marsha Spader" case.
Several years ago, the anonymous Marsha published a report on
the internet accusing me of pedophilia and even went so far as
to post flyers around my apartment complex to warn my neighbors.
Marsha was wise enough to post anonymously, but Stephen and Oates
were very open about their claims.
On one hand, the suit frightens me. I am worried about a
chilling effect on internet discourse if the suit expands to
secondary websites like my own -- but there have to be limits, too.
If this case goes to trial it will help define where those limits
lie.
Glenn
BTW: Check out Stephen's arrest record, as reported on his own
site. http://www.stephens-behold.com/arrest_stephens.html
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RELEVANCE OF THIS MESSAGE: UFO People
Index: Art Bell (#30)
Index: Robert A.M. Stephens (#34)
Index: David Oates (#2)
Created: May 28, 1999
