Schwarzenegger aide to face libel case over grope claims

[Champ]

LONDON (AFP) - A British judge cleared the way for an aide to Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) to face a libel trial for allegedly calling a television presenter a liar after she claimed the actor-turned-politician fondled her.


High Court Judge David Eady ruled against an attempt by Schwarzenegger's spokesman Sean Walsh to block the libel case brought by British television reporter Anna Richardson.


The decision means the court case, which could prove extremely embarrassing for Schwarzenegger, elected governor of California a year ago, will take place in London some time next year.


Shortly before Schwarzenegger was voted into office, Richardson alleged in an interview that he had made repeated lewd comments towards her and touched her breast when she interviewed the then-movie star in 2000.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1538&ncid=732&e=2&u=/afp/20041029/wl_uk_afp/britain_us_legal

[jdj]

1. I think this is the one that is on tape

and for some reason the station won't release the tape.

Damn them, but this is good news.

Too bad Rhonda Miller dropped her suit.

edit: Interesting he is named in the suit but that is not how yahoo is playing it. Trial next year, good news, no nazis for president.

"Richardson's libel suit relates to comments made by Walsh, as well as Schwarzenegger himself and another aide, Sheryl Main, in the Los Angeles Times newspaper in October 2003, rejecting her story.


She claims the quotes said she had "deliberately and dishonestly fabricated" the allegations about the actor's behaviour during the interview in London to promote his film "The Sixth Day".


The judge ruled that as the article had been published on the Internet, Richardson could argue it harmed her reputation in Britain, giving her a valid claim for libel via the British courts."