ReasonMag: Long-Arming the Libel Tourist
- From: J Flenner <varney@[redacted]>
- Subject: ReasonMag: Long-Arming the Libel Tourist
- Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2007 10:07:40 -0500
NOTE: If the YouTube video, "The Libel Tourist", embedded in the article
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http://reason.com/blog/show/123588.html
November 19, 2007 | Reason Magazine's blog
Long-Arming the Libel Tourist
Jacob Sullum
[Embedded video: The Libel Tourist
http://www.reason.tv/roughcut/show/170.html]
Last week the New York Court of Appeals heard
<http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--booklawsuit1115nov15,0,7676074.story>
arguments in a case that pits freedom of speech against British libel
law. Israeli-American criminologist Rachel Ehrenfeld is challenging a
libel judgment against her obtained by Saudi billionaire Khalid bin
Mahfouz, whom she identified in her 2003 book Funding Evil as a source
of financial support for terrorism. Last June the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the 2nd Circuit allowed her lawsuit to proceed, but the case hinges
to some extent on issues of state law, one of which the New York Court
of Appeals is now considering: whether New York's "long arm" statute can
reach a defendant such as Bin Mahfouz who is outside the U.S.
(snip)
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