RE: Fischer Imaging Corp, 'Net chat prompts lawsuits
By Anne Colden
Denver Post Business Writer
Dec. 23, 2000 - Fischer Imaging Corp. is trying to put a lid on
Internet talk about its company by suing anonymous contributors
to message boards.
The Denver-based maker of medical imaging systems filed suit in
U.S. District Court alleging that 10 people misappropriated trade
secrets and defamed the company through their postings on Yahoo
Inc.'s financial message boards.
Names of the defendants aren't known yet, and Fischer's lawsuit
identifies them as John Doe 1-10, as well as by their Internet
handles.
Fischer's president and chief executive, Lou Rivelli, and its director
of operations, Mark Cannon, are also named as plaintiffs. Rivelli and
Cannon claim the Internet postings have defamed them as well as
their company.
The complaint, which was filed late Thursday, quotes from a few
message postings. One, put up by "mammoman2000," said:
"(Cannon) is inept and has extremely poor management skills."
Another said Cannon used "rejected parts to build medical
equipment."
Another message, posted by "rad1910," said of Rivelli: "There is a
universal feeling of doom due to this idiot running the company."
Rivelli was named president and chief executive in mid-December.
Such false and defamatory statements "undermine the confidence
of the public and Fischer's clients in Fischer's business," the
complaint said.
Fischer claims that a qualified job candidate declined a position
with the company and a shareholder sold his stock due to the
unflattering information on the Yahoo site.
Fischer seeks a court order stopping the defendants' actions as
well as damages.
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