News Articles: Settlement In Ramsey vs. Thomas Case

Discussion in 'Justice for JonBenet Discussion - Public Forum' started by Dunvegan, Mar 20, 2002.

  1. Dunvegan

    Dunvegan Guest

    From the Daily Camera:

    http://www.thedailycamera.com/extra/ramsey/2002/20lrams.html

    Excerpt:</ol>Ramseys settle libel case

    By Pam Regensberg
    Camera Staff Writer

    John and Patsy Ramsey have settled a libel case against a former Boulder police detective who accused the couple of being involved in the December 1996 murder of their 6-year-old daughter.

    The terms of the settlement, which was reached last week, are confidential, said the Ramseys' Atlanta attorney, L. Lin Wood.

    The Ramseys sought a combined $80 million from Steve Thomas, and both the co-author and publisher of "JonBenét: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation." In the book, released in April 2000, Thomas accuses the Ramseys of covering up the slaying and hampering the police investigation. </ol>
     
  2. Dunvegan

    Dunvegan Guest

    Rocky Mountain News: Settlement in Thomas-Ramsey Case

    Rocky Mountain News:

    http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/home/article/0,1299,DRMN_1_1040139,00.html

    Excerpt:<ol>Ramseys to receive settlement in libel lawsuit

    March 20, 2002

    The former police detective who wrote a book accusing John and Patsy Ramsey of killing their daughter has agreed to pay them an undisclosed amount of money to settle a libel lawsuit.

    Ex-detective Steve Thomas, his co-author, Don Davis, and publisher St. Martin's Press are participating in the settlement, Ramsey attorney L. Lin Wood said. He would not say how the three will divide the payment.
    </ol>
     
  3. Dunvegan

    Dunvegan Guest

    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 19, 2002
  4. Watching You

    Watching You Superior Bee Admin

    Angel

    are you saying you have SPOKEN to Steve Thomas? Is that a message he sent to his supporters through you? Angel, how do you know Steve Thomas? Have you been helping him on his case? You really have me puzzled now. I've seen other things you have written that made me think you must know him personally. I don't mean to pry, but if you really do know him personally, (as in, you have met and are friends or business acquaintances), I would like to know how he is coping with this and if he will be going to Europe now to be with his wife.

    Oh, and BTW, I agree with your wishes that he have a fresh new start now. He stood tall through it all, I'm damn proud of him.
     
  5. BobC

    BobC Poster of the EON - Fabulous Inimitable Transcript

    Yeah--getting shed of this darkness is a good thing for a lot of people, including ST. It's just getting uglier and tackier. In our legal system the people with the most money always win. It's pretty sick. Good thing for me that I don't really care anymore that the Ramseys got away with it. A lot of people seem very angry about it still but I've let go of it. The R's will never lead normal lives and they haven't fooled anybody. Imagine what it must be like to be them. I wouldn't trade places with 'em for a million dollars.
     
  6. Watching You

    Watching You Superior Bee Admin

    I do care that

    they've gotten away with it because of their wealth and their connections, BobC, but I agree with everything else you said. I don't expect ever to see justice through the courts in this case, but justice comes in many forms. I most certainly would not wish to be in the Ramseys' shoes, shoes, you know...
     
  7. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Disclosure

    IMHO, it is very interesting that Mr. Wood always says in his spin that the Ramseys want everything out there on the table. Not one of these suits has disclosed the settlement agreements. Ever wonder why?

    I can come up with a couple of reasons without even giving it any thought.

    1. The insurance companies or corporations don't want the money disclosed because they know they will face similar suits in the future.

    2. The Ramseys don't want the money disclosed because...

    A. No money is to be exchanged
    B. The money awarded is a pittance of what they asked for and was only awarded because the defendants found it better business sense to walk away.


    Ever think maybe it makes better business sense to simply pay this blood money? Doing so does not admit culpability IMHO. These types of suits are settled every day, simply out of what makes better business sense to the insurance companies, the corporations involved and so on.

    The Ramseys supposedly don't even have the $100,000 reward money they offered for clues. Ever wonder why not?
     
  8. Freebird

    Freebird Active Member

    What I don't understand is the Ramseys said they sued for the principle of it.............. Yet they agreed to settle for cash and never take this all the way, to have the chance to have this out in the open, in the courts....... The man who accused Patsy of killing JB and they SETTLED!!!!!!!!!

    Innocent people would not settle for cash and allow their name to be (supposedly) slandered............. Patsys good for it and now we all know.
     
  9. AK

    AK Member

    On the settlement

    You all know how I feel about this matter -- I won't repeat it and give comfort to the enemy. But there are a couple of things I can offer.

    Daniel Petrocelli is busy working for Disney these days and likely didn't have the time it would have taken to defend ST. (Petro still is in private practice but the Mouse House is a big customer. He was just involved in a big suit this week.)

    Note the Thomas settlement doesn't take off the bookshelves the copies that are already out, nor does it disallow future printings. This is critical. I've known authors who had their copies pulled from every bookstore after losing suits, then the books were burned.
     
  10. Tricia

    Tricia Administrator Staff Member

    Fedorax good point.

    If the Ramsey's were so sure Thomas lied wouldn't they insist the books be pulled and future printings be stopped??

    Very interesting..

    The books and the beat goes on....
     
  11. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Keep Spinning Lin

    <html>
    <body text="#000099" bgcolor="#CCFFFF" link="#00CC00" vlink="#FF0000" alink="#993366">
    Wood said the settlement with Thomas "totally vindicates" the Ramseys.
    However, he noted that Thomas "doesn't have a whole lot of money."
    <p>He added, "The dollar amount is irrelevant to the Ramseys. They sued
    this case as a matter of principle." Like most settlements, <b>the defendants
    made no admissions.</b> But, Wood insisted, "The result speaks for itself.
    How many people settle a libel case?"
    <p>http://www.dailyreportonline.com/news/2002/3/4961.HTM

    ***
    I wonder if Lin knows the answer to his retorical question.
    </body>
    </html>
     
  12. Freebird

    Freebird Active Member

    *****"This was about principle."
    Wood said if the civil case had gone to trial, the truth would have come out about Thomas. Wood said........


    So instead they settled? and how is this a victory for the Ramseys......... as much as John foamed at the mouth at Steve on LKL and he had the chance to "have the truth come out" and they opted to settle............ come on something is wrong with this pic.
     
  13. 1000 Sparks

    1000 Sparks Active Member

    Freebird..

    and that is what I have been thinking.

    Am very disappointed that this was settled out of court.

    I don't blame Steve Thomas (actually I thought Petrocelli was working pro bono) but this has ruined the chance of ever getting those Rams to testify in a court of law.

    I know Steve did what he had to do. Dang it ! Why didn't Darnay jump in on this one? anyone jump in on this?

    There are so many supporters of Thomas that I'm sure we could have made pledges along with many of the officials in Boulder that would like to see the Rams behind bars.

    Oh well.............
     
  14. Gecko

    Gecko Member

    Steve

    Hi All:Maybe they settled for a buck,wish we knew.I think Steve did a remarkable job of holding on as long as he did.Principal of theirs,my kiester!
     
  15. Shadow

    Shadow FFJ Senior Content Moderator

    I agree with Freebird... L. Wood has said over and over that the Ramseys sued ST "for the principle of it" and to "have the truth come out." It seems to me that, in settling, they abandoned their "principles" and put a cap on the "truth coming out."

    All anyone knows right now is that ST settled - this does not automatically prove he lied, nor does it prove they Ramseys were not involved in the death of JBR. It is, however, another "spin opportunity" for the Ramseys just as the Lie Detector PR effort was.

    Since L. Wood and the swamp has been mouthing endlessly since even before the settlement was announced, I assume there is no gag order. I eagerly await ST's statements...
     
  16. Watching You

    Watching You Superior Bee Admin

    Well, Shadow

    they haven't yet given the amount of the settlement, just postured about how this vindicated the Ramseys (not) while their prize vulture gloats at the bog. They have no couth, and they look stupid spinning like they are. People aren't stupid - they know a settlement proves nothing at all except it was good economics for the persons being sued. I happen to think that if Steve Thomas had an endless supply of money, he never would have gone along with this settlement, but hey, that's just me.

    Principle - right. It was about money and vengence. Period. If it was about principle, the Ramseys would have refused to settle and gone all the way to court. But, like Lumpy Wood himself said - if they had gone all the way - they would have had to prove that Patsy did not kill her daughter. How on earth were they going to do that? Is anyone starting to get it, yet?
     
  17. Rebecca

    Rebecca FFJ Senior Member

    what they are saying

    Seems the Ramseys have a victory of sorts. The spin around the settlement is working in their favour. I've heard reactions around me questioning ST and deciding he did make up things in his book for easy money. Very disappointing.

    How long are John and Patsy going to continue making money off the death of their daughter. They are disgusting.
     
  18. Texan

    Texan FFJ Senior Member

    what they really wanted...

    The fact that the Ramseys brought this law suit and then settled shows that all they really wanted was the money.

    If they were really worried about what the public thought, they would have fought it out.

    I think they finally figured out that they would be determined to be public figures (duh) and knew they couldn't win. This way, they can pay for their liar , uh , lawyer.
     
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