Imus settles with CBS for $20 miliion

JaJae · 08-14-2007, 11:59 AM

**Exclusive** Radio host Don Imus has agreed to settle with CBS for $20 million, and a non disparaging clause, legal sources claim. The move opens the possibility Imus will soon return to the airwaves -- on WABC in New York! Developing...

Apparently they're willing to pay now and terminating his contract without pay wasn't on the up and up. It's nice to see Imus got what he was due.

Donkey® · 08-14-2007, 12:01 PM

A settlement is no indication of anything. Either side could have won the lawsuit.

Linzyhop · 08-14-2007, 12:11 PM

well good for him.

doesn't mean i'll listen to him as I never did before, but at least the flip-flop of racism is being shown......

motivez · 08-14-2007, 02:39 PM

I think everyone knew this was going to happen, I'm sure he'll return to the airwaves and have a larger audience than before.. same shtick, different station.

Stylerod · 08-14-2007, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

I think everyone knew this was going to happen, I'm sure he'll return to the airwaves and have a larger audience than before.. same shtick, different station.

Not everyone. Plenty of people thought he wasn't going to get anything in this thread.

Imus Sues CBS

motivez · 08-14-2007, 04:09 PM

I stand corrected

Stylerod · 08-14-2007, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

I stand corrected

Well, I think it was more wishful thinking on their part then anything else.

That being said. Why anyone would ever think he is worth paying millions and millions for is beyond me. Is he really that popular? Does he draw that many people? I mean, if he does and he's worth it. Good for him! But the times I tried to listen to him I had to shut if off.

RMNIXON · 08-14-2007, 07:47 PM

I don't think much of him either.

But with all the people using race to extort money these days why should he not play his hand also?

Stylerod · 08-14-2007, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by RMNIXON

I don't think much of him either.

But with all the people using race to extort money these days why should he not play his hand also?

Speaking of extorting because of race.

By LARA SETRAKIAN
Aug. 14, 2007
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Don Imus is facing his first lawsuit from a player on the Rutgers Women's Basketball team for derogatory comments that cost him his job as a radio host in April, ABC News has learned.

Kia Vaughn, star center for the Rutgers Women's Basketball team, has filed a lawsuit against Imus for libel, slander and defamation -- the first civil suit to be filed against the former radio host. Vaughn is asking for monetary damages of an unspecified amount.
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"This is a lawsuit in order to restore the good name and reputation of my client, Kia Vaughn," said her attorney, Richard Ancowitz, in an exclusive interview with the ABC News Law & Justice Unit.

The suit names Imus individually, but it is also waged against MSNBC, NBC Universal, CBS Radio, CBS Corp., Viacom Inc., Westwood One Radio and Imus producer Bernard McGuirk.

ABC News: Rutgers Player Sues Imus, NBC, CBS

Fucking ho.

motivez · 08-15-2007, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Speaking of extorting because of race.

Fucking ho.

Tell me, good sir, what do you think of the aesthetics of her hair?

WickedLou9 · 08-15-2007, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Speaking of extorting because of race.

Fucking ho.

What a joke. That's a totally unwinable case. All she would be entitled to collect would be damages, and there are none. Aside from maybe forcing a public retraction of the "false statements" or an apology... which he has already done. So it's a case of "so what?"
So he defamed you. There were no damages, there is nothing to sue for. There are no damages to recover. If anything, his statements actually brought them more fame than they would have had otherwise.

Defamation is one of the cases that you can almost laugh off.

Can you even proove that "nappy headed ho" is a factually false statement? It's racist to be certain, but is it false? What does it even mean? Nappy headed? Doesn't that refer to the type of hair that african americans typically have? and the term "ho" ? It has so many meanings in popular culture that there is no singular definition. In some circles it's just a sexist term to refer to a woman.

Anyway. yeah it's a frivolous lawsuit and I hope she gets a fine for filing it.

Stylerod · 08-15-2007, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

Tell me, good sir, what do you think of the aesthetics of her hair?

I can't remember which one she was

Linzyhop · 08-15-2007, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

I can't remember which one she was

the nappy headed one.

JaJae · 08-15-2007, 11:40 AM

Nobody would have never known her name if she didn't file this lawsuit. This is probably some pro-bono case a lawyer presented her with and is taking looking to extort her and make millions.

WickedLou9 · 08-15-2007, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

Nobody would have never known her name if she didn't file this lawsuit. This is probably some pro-bono case a lawyer presented her with and is taking looking to extort her and make millions.

My professor spent a considerable amount of time talking about "the settlement value of a case" Because it directly pertains to business and thier decisions to litigate or settle a case.

The key factors are:
Award of Attorney's fees. If a client doesn't have to pay anything out of pocket and the attorney going to collect a portion of the settlement, the plaintiff has nothing to lose by filing the suit and they will go for more money.

open ended nature of damages: If you for instance lose a finger, that damage will effect your for the rest of your life... so awards in these cases get very high. It's more likely that a business will settle a case in which there are open ended damages.

Jury Appeal. Juries are crazy. Whenever a case gets to a jury, lightning can strike and there is no telling what they could possibly decide. If a plaintiff like the one in this case has particular appeal to the jury, they could very well award damages far in excess of what is reasonable.

Ease of making a Prima Facia case: This means, how easy is it for you to make the case that your tort action satisfies all of the elements needed to prove defamation for example. if you could easily make a prima facia case, a business is more likely to settle out of court for fear that they will get to a jury and then who knows. lightening could strike.

I think in this case they have jury appeal. You have a young minority as the victim of an older white rich man who needs to be taught a lesson. You also probably have attorney's fees being awarded.
As far as open ended damages, maybe. They might make the case that this incident, being of such a national and public nature, will follow her for the rest of her life.

The thing I don't think they meet is making a prima facia case. If they can't prove that they meet the requirements necesary for defamation then the case will probably be dismissed or atleast will have a summary judgement issued before it ever gets to trial.