Well, this one gets my vote for the most foolish reason to get yourself sued... From Canada Stockwatch, courtesy of reporter Brent Mudry...
Consolidated Topper Gold Corp - Street Wire
Cons. Topper yowls over Whiskers and the sausage
Consolidated Topper Gold Corp CSC
Shares issued 1,288,561 Sep 19 close $0.36
Wed 20 Sept 2000 Street Wire
Also Consolidated Grand National Res Inc (CGE)
by Brent Mudry
Consolidated Topper Gold Corp. and Consolidated Grand National Resources
Inc. have filed a defamation suit against Stockhouse Media Corp. over
bizarre and distressing Bullboard chat-site postings. In a statement of
claim filed Tuesday in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Topper and
Grand National take offence at certain Bullboard commentaries, which were
posted starting some time in August.
While an increasing number of stock chat-site defamation cases have been
launched in both Canada and the United States, the Topper case is believed
to be the first of its kind.
The Stockhouse postings take the nasty and derogatory comments so prevalent
on such chat-sites to a new level. Besides claiming that some people
associated with the companies are "loopy," the mystery poster makes highly
personal attacks and even takes a few pokes at the cat.
In the suit, Vancouver lawyer L. Clive Boulton of DuMoulin & Boskovich
alleges the Stockhouse poster singles out three people associated with
Topper.
According to the suit, the poster claims the first person likes "little
boys and hookers," has to "pay for sex" because he is an "ugly bastard,"
has been a "life long swinger(s)," takes "Viagra," views "child porn
sites," is seeing a psychiatrist and is "heavily medicated most days," and
"likes beastiality (sic)." The poster also claims this person "screwed over
employees, investors and others."
In the suit, Mr. Boulton notes the poster claims the second person has also
been a "life long swinger(s)," "loves other men" and hates the person's
spouse.
The Stockhouse Bullboard comments on the third person are the most graphic
and probably the most upsetting.
The suit notes the Stockhouse poster claims this person "has to pay for
sex," "will be shaving the family cat and then play hide-the-sausage with
Whiskers" and "loves to duct tape his balls to the cat's head and then use
the cat as a weight to increase the size of his penis."
"The plaintiffs state that each and every one of the commentaries referred
to in paragraph 9 above, is false and that they have been maliciously
published by the defendant, so as to cause the plaintiffs harm," states
lawyer Mr. Boulton in the suit.
"As a result of these false, malicious and defamatory commentaries made by
the defendant of the plaintiffs, the plaintiffs have suffered damages and
are unable to cope with the scurrilous, scandalous and false statements
made about them," states the suit.
Mr. Boulton also claims the publication of the libellous Stockhouse
commentaries has brought his clients "into scandal, hatred, ridicule and
contempt."
The suit seeks unspecified general and special damages.
The sole defendant is Stockhouse, and unlike most chat-site suits, the
Topper suit makes no mention of the poster either by on-line name, other
identification or dates of postings.
While the plaintiffs include Topper, Grand National and the three
individuals, Whiskers is not a party to the suit. Mr. Boulton was not
immediately available to discuss Whiskers' role in the matter.
A statement of defence has not yet been filed and no court date has yet
been set for a trial.
(c) Copyright 2000 Canjex Publishing Ltd. stockwatch.com |
