Beckham Can't Bend It--Federal Judge Dumps Libel Case

Image via WikipediaCiting the plaintiff's failure to prove In Touch Weekly published allegations of liaisons with a $10,000-a-night call girl with actual malice, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Judge Manuel Real has dismissed Los Angeles Galaxy soccer star David Beckham's libel suit.

Beckham filed the action, David V. Beckham v. Bauer Publishing Co. et al. (Case No. 2:10-cv-07980-R), last September, seeking $25 million from the publisher of In Touch. (See "TUOL" post 1/14/11.) Judge Real also found that the off-field doings of the Galaxy midfielder and spouse of Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham are a matter of public interest.

Beckham's attorneys plan to appeal the decision.

Federal Judge Whistles Beckham Offsides on Call Girl Depo Request

Image via WikipediaU.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Western Division) Judge Manuel L. Real has shot down soccer great David Beckham's motion to depose pre-discovery ex-high-priced hooker Irma Nici, a defendant in his $25 million defamation suit against the publisher of In Touch Weekly.

As reported by Matthew Heller on onpointnews.com, Beckham sued based on a graphic article in the October 4, 2010, issue of In Touch entitled "David's Dangerous Betrayal," that alleges Beckham had sexual liaisons with Nici--who purportedly once worked as a $10,000-a-night prostitute-- in London and New York City, including a "girl-on-girl" show involving another prostitute.  The magazine paid Nici $50,000 for her exclusive story, but Beckham, who is married to former Spice Girls chanteuse Victoria Posh Spice (Adams) Beckham, denies even having met Nici.

The lawsuit, David V. Beckham v. Bauer Publishing Co. et al. (Case No. 2:10-cv-07980-R) includes a cross-complaint by Nici against Beckham. Bauer, which is based in Germany, filed a motion under California's anti-Slapp ("Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation") statute [Cal. Civ. Proc. Code Sec. 425.16] to strike the complaint on free speech grounds, asserting that the story involves a matter of "public interest."

Beckham's attorneys argued that deposing Nici and In Touch Weekly's editor was necessary to prepare a response to the anti-SLAPP motion. Judge Real, however, disputed that call, ruling that Beckham's request was a "fishing expedition" that  failed to satisfy the legal goal, as it were, of showing the discovery was essential to opposing the anti-SLAPP motion.

The 35-year-old Beckham is a midfielder for the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer and a former Manchester United star.

Daily Star Spends It on Beckham

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Express Newspapers Group will pay David Beckham significant undisclosed damages and attorneys' fees in settlement of the 34-year-old English soccer star's defamation claim against 'The Daily Star' regarding an April 30, 2008, front-page story alleging that he "made a play" for Hungarian model Mariann Fogarasy.

Beckham did not appear in London's High Court where the settlement was announced. Counsel for the media defendant acknowledged that the story was untrue and "apologizes to Mr. Beckham and his family for the distress, embarrassment, and injury caused to him. "

The offending article featured the page 1 headline "Becks & the Blonde Beauty," and an inside heading on pages 4 and 5, "Topless model claims she was chatted up by footie star." The article claimed that following an AC Milan soccer match in Hungary, Beckham "made a play" for Fogarasy and continued to email her with "private invitations."

Beckham and his spouse, Victoria "Posh Spice," have reduced constant public attention and compensation unrelated, respectively, to goal-scoring or singing, to an art form.