Search

Reports on a New York State appeals court's overturning of a libel award against a Queens weekly a year after it closed down as a result of the suit. Background on the case filed by Steven Kaplansky against Rockaway Press; Freeze of publisher John Baxter's assets; Grounds for appeal of case.

Reports on a lawsuit filed by David Gest, estranged husband of celebrity Liza Minnelli, against Minnelli alleging he was the victim of domestic violence. Allegations of the suit; Incidents of beating by a drunken Minnelli, according to papers filed in a New York court by David; Reaction of Minnelli to David's claims.

In the May 12 paper, a page 8 story about MasterCard erroneously suggested a relationship between a lawsuit filed by merchants and a $24.9 million "settlement due from members." In Monday's paper, the page 14 story on GMAC's credit card rewards program understated the sum cardholders must charge to get a $25 reduction in their mortgage principal balance. In the Retail Delivery supplement to Tuesday's paper, Sterling Bancorp of New York was misidentified as Sterling Financial Corp. in a story that began on page 3 and a photo caption on page 10.

Reports on the New York State appeals court's refusal to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by a former district attorney George Collins III against the publishers of the `Record' newspaper. Publication of article that stated Collins resigned due to his arrest record; Newspaper's reliance on information coming from confidential sources.

Features New York City `Daily News' columnist Mike McAlary's claims that a black lesbian, identified as Jane Doe in court papers, fabricated her claim of being raped by a black man in Brooklyn's Prospect Park in New York on April 1994. Doe's hiring of lawyer Martin Garbus to sue McAlary; Doe's personal background; McAlary's personal background; Career history; Stories on the rape of Doe.

The article discusses a court case wherein the Supreme Court of New York, Madison County dismissed a fraternity's action for failure to state a claim. In Delta Kappa Epsilon Alumni Corp. v. Colgate Univ., a court order annulling the decision of Colgate University to withdraw recognition of the local Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter was sought by the Delta Kappa Epsilon. The withdrawal of recognition was prompted by the refusal of the fraternity to transfer title of the fraternity house to the university.

Focuses on Westfair Communications Inc.'s lawsuit against Yonkers Time Publishing Co. and its publisher, Ralph R. Martinelli, for libel and unfair competition charges. Lawsuit that stems from an editorial signed by Martinelli and published in Yonkers' newspapers; Martinelli's decision to fight the lawsuit filed in the State Supreme Court in White Plains, New York; Defendants' alleged malicious intent.

Focuses on the disappearance of six-year-old Etan Patz in Manhattan, New York. The search for Patz, who was never found; Decision by parents Stanley and Julie Patz to declare their son legally dead; Wrongful death lawsuit against Jose Ramos, the man they believe abducted and killed their son.

Reports on the decision of a New York State Supreme Court to order automobile leasing company Prime Time Holdings LLC to pay USAlliance Federal Credit Union damages for breach of contract. Citation of inadequate funding for collateral fund; Dismissal of malicious prosecution claim made by Prime Time; Plan of the leasing company to appeal its case.

Reports on a pretrial hearing for the copyright infringement case filed by British photographer Kent Baker in New York City against Urban Outfitters for an unauthorized use of stock photos. Background on Baker's photograph used by Urban Outfitters for a disposable paper insert for plastic picture frames; Reason why the judge refused to issue a summary ruling; Negotiations between the two parties prior to the case.

Reports that a New York State Supreme Court has granted class action status to a lawsuit filed by Jacob, Medinger & Finnegan against Delta Funding Corp., alleging the latter failed to refund prohibited mortgage processing fees it charged between 1987 and 1995. Claims and contentions of parties involved in the lawsuit; Justification for the court's decision to grant class action status to the lawsuit.

Presents quotes from various publications related to political and social events that took place around the world. Comments of Fulton J. Sheen on the sincerity of Catholic priests in prayers for the Soviet Union; Report of the newspaper "The New York Herald Tribune" that the War Production Board has rejected the application of the city of Larchmont, New York, for ninety seven feet of wire for an air-raid siren; Report of the trial of Australian actor Errol Flynn in the newspaper "The New York Post" in which Betty Hansen, the victim, has given her clarification for her alleged association with Flynn; Opinion expressed by a reader through a letter published in the newspaper "The Dallas News" that segregation on street cars has increased in the U.S.; Advertisement of Edgeworth Tobacco by biscuit manufacturing company Blue Tin.

Reports that a class action suit has been filed against the company officials at New York-based Advanced Health Corp. accusing them of violating the securities law. Defendants; Company stock price as of June 30, 1998; Forecasted financial performance in the third quarter; Wolf Popper LLP as the plaintiffs' lawyer.

This article presents world news briefs for the week of May 30, 1964. Various issues concerning U.S. politics and government are discussed. The U.S. Supreme reviewed the case of Dewey McLaughlin and Connie Hoffman, a racially integrated couple who were living together. Very few African Americans participated in the March for Democratic Schools in New York.

Hamportzoon Choolokian, an Armenian shoemaker, came to this country in 1913 in order to escape Turkish atrocities designed to exterminate his people. Choolokian and his wife became American citizens and the parents of six children. Due to family crisis, Choolokian requested assistance from the New York City Department of Welfare. Since there is no Armenian children's home in New York, the five oldest children were sent to the Mission of the Immaculate Virgin. Choolokian did not want his children to be reared as Roman Catholics. But in 1944 the institution told him he would have to remove them unless he consented to their baptism in the Catholic church. Faced with this desperate choice, Choolokian consented. After a year later, he received word that space had been reserved on a repatriation ship for him and his family. But when he went to release his children from the Welfare Department, two employees who were in charge of the case and were Roman Catholics told him he could not be given his children. Now, he is fighting court cases to get back his children.

Reports that Martin Schwartz, a graphic supplier had pleaded guilty to various conspiracy charges in a New York district court. Prison sentence facing Schwartz for selling phony invoices; Scope of Schwartz' illegal billing practices.

The article focuses on private charitable foundations that are being raided by trustees taking excessive compensation. The Bielfeldt Foundation set up to benefit Peoria, Illinois by Gary and Carlotta Bielfeldt, who with their son, David, drew a total of $21 million in compensation from 1985 to 2002. All three are listed as foundation directors. All told the family paid itself 81 cents for every dollar it gave away. Gary lost his tax appeals all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and is now facing a $68 million tax lien. The Council on Foundations, which represents 2,000 charities with a combined $300 billion in assets, says a recent survey found that 75% of foundations do not pay their trustees. But the survey did not ask about other types of trustee fees, and regulators say that the Bielfeldt matter isn't unique among foundations. Trustees, says Josephson, the New York prosecutor, "are using substantial amounts of money to enrich themselves." To prevent double-dipping, the Internal Revenue Service's tax code bars wealthy donors and family members from being paid for their work for the charity. However, the revenue code has a big loophole. It allows payment to a trustee, provided it is "not excessive," for services that are considered "reasonable and necessary." By and large the IRS lets the foundations and trustees do what they want, says Pablo Eisenberg, senior fellow at Georgetown University's Public Policy Institute. That leaves enforcement in the hands of state prosecutors. Matters aren't better there. The states lack money and people. Some 37 states have their own charities bureaus, with New York's the most robust.

Presents several editorials which discuss different subjects. Thoughts on vigilantism in New York City in the early 1980s; Comments on the libel lawsuit filed by Ariel Sharon against Time Inc.

Comments on key controversies pertaining to a New York law setting up a non-sectarian and non-compulsory prayer for use in the schools citing its relevance to the constitutional prohibition of an establishment of religion in the U.S. Provisions of the Constitution requiring that Congress and the states shall make no law respecting an establishment of denominational religion; Details about Supreme Court rulings on several cases on religion and school prayer; Issues on ecclesiastical monopolies.

Focuses on a court trial of several communists that took place in the United States Court House in New York City, which was titled as Foley Square. Description of the court room where the famous trial took place; Altercation between the judge and the defense counsel, which has made the trial popular; Repetitions of objections raised by the defense counsel in the trial; Efforts of the defendant's counsel to prove their arguments which were rejected by the judge; Testimony of Celanese Corp.'s foreman Charles W. Niodemus and newspaper editor John Gates in the trial; Allegation on the communists that they sought maps of the Celanese Corp. plant for sabotage purposes.

Adam Clyaton Powell, the preacher-Congressman from New York City's Harlem district, stood at the pulpit-like platform atop the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on May 17, 1957 and told the thousands of Negroes massed below him who had come to the nation's capital on a "pilgrimage of prayer" for civil rights. It was the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision out-lawing segregation, and the assembled pilgrims had learned that their nation's highest leaders were hesitant to talk in specific terms about the implementation of the ruling.

The case of Morton Sobell, now serving a thirty-year sentence in Alcatraz, presents a striking example of mass misunderstanding induced by self-styled "news commentators" and newspaper reporters, very few of whom have examined the record. The record does not justify the designation of Sobell as a traitor or as an "atomic spy." Sobell was not even indicted as a traitor. He was tried on a superseding indictment returned in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on January 31, 1951.

The suit of Michaels Stern & Co. against the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, now being tried in Rochester, New York, centers around the moot labor issues of the injunction and of picketing. A strike against this firm broke out on July 26, 1919. The local Joint Board of the Amalgamated, which called the strike, immediately wired the national office in New York and by Monday Sidney Hillman, president of the union, was in Rochester. On the next day, a terse conversation over the telephone ended the negotiations. The national office indorsed the strike and aided in financing it. To the defense, the trial has been at once a challenge to organized labor and an opportunity and to provide a chance to focus around their interpretation of this strike.

The article focuses on several court cases involving the issues of landlord and tenant in New York. In one case which has gone in favor of landlord where he sued rent-stabilized tenant for non-primary residence. In another case where landlord increased the rent for making improvement in the apartment which has been ruled out by the court and favors the rent-stabilized tenant.

The article offers information on the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by pro-democracy activists against a Chinese internet company, Baidu Inc. in the U.S. Baidu Inc. had censored the anti-government content on the internet for users in the New York State under the guidelines of China. The protesters considered it as the violation of the free speech laws of New York State.

Focuses on the lawsuit brought by the New York Civil Liberties Union against David Grandeau, executive director of the Temporary State Commission on Lobbying, accusing him of exceeding his authority in Albany, New York. Facts of the case; Merits of the case; Basis for the court decision.

Reports on US District Court Judge Gerald Goettel's denial of each of the motions filed by the town of Harrison, New York, to withdraw from the US Bankruptcy Court a $26 million lawsuit filed against the town by bankrupt developer Peter Gache. Details of an earlier ruling made by the judge on the case; Town's effort to delay the trial; Case history.

Reports in May 1998 that Michael and Esther Wasser are suing the China Fun restaurant in New York City for asking the Wasser to leave because of Michael's wheelchair. Description of the incident as filed in court papers; Damages the suit is seeking.

Focuses on the controversy involving hotel owner Leona Helmsley in a lawsuit over dismissal of employee Charles Bell for homosexuality in New York City. Testimony given by security officer Andrew Martinez; Details on the incidence leading to the discovery of Bell's sexual preference; Amount awarded to Bell.

Reports that the Supreme Court of New York has dismissed a lawsuit filed by The Pullman Group LLC against CAK Universal Credit Corp. (UCC), Prudential Insurance Co. of America and Prudential Securities Inc. in August 2000. Allegation against the companies; Why the complaint was dismissed; Statement from Robert D'Loren, president of UCC.