John Grisham Asking Federal Court To Dismiss "The Innocent Man" Libel Lawsuit

OKLAHOMA CITY – Author John Grisham is asking an Oklahoma federal court to dismiss a libel lawsuit filed against him by Pontotoc County District Attorney Bill Peterson and others over their depiction in Grisham’s nonfiction best-seller "The Innocent Man", about the prosecution of Dennis Fritz and Ron Williamson for the 1982 murder of Debra Sue Carter. The Pontotoc County District Attorney Bill Peterson is the prosecutor who sent Dennis Fritz and Ron Williamson, 2 innocent men to prison for 12 years with no real evidence against them. The real killer Glen Gore, was the prosecution's key witness. Other defendants in the case:

• Author Dennis Fritz ,who tells his story of his unwarranted prosecution and wrongful conviction his book "Journey Toward Justice".
• Barry Scheck, one of Fritz’s lawyers who helped exonerate him in 1999, and a co-author of “Actual Innocence,” that discusses the case of Williamson and Fritz.
  
• Robert Mayer, author of “The Dreams of Ada.” - Mayer’s book discusses another Pontotoc County murder case that is also mentioned in Grisham’s book. The murder of Denice Haraway and the subsequent investigation, prosecution and conviction of Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot. Bill Peterson got questionable convictions on Ward and Fontenot , and they are still in prison.
  Robert Mayer, author of The Dreams of Ada; and Barry Scheck, with The Innocence Project, have also filed motions asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit against them.
  
  
• The Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, publisher of “The Innocent Man” and “Actual Innocence.”
  
• Random House Inc., which owns Doubleday Dell.
  
• Broadway Books, publisher of “The Dreams of Ada.”
  
• Seven Locks Press and/or James C. Riordan, publisher of “Journey Toward Justice.”
  Seven Locks Press and James Riordan have asked that the complaint against them be dismissed for failure to state a claim.
  
  In addition to Peterson, other plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Gary Rogers, a former Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent, and Melvin Hett, a retired OSBI criminalist.
  Bill Peterson and Gary Rogers were instrumental in the conviction of Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz in the murder of Debbie Sue Carter in Ada, Oklahoma in 1982.
  The Peterson and Rogers lawsuit, filed in federal court, alleges civil conspiracy, libel, placing a person in a false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
  Dennis Fritz and Ron Williamson were eventually exonerated by DNA evidence after serving about 12 years in prison. A man named Glen Gore was ultimately convicted of the murder of Debra Sue Carter.
  Ron Williamson was sentenced to death for the Carter murder, Fritz received a life sentence. Ron Williamson died Dec. 4, 2004 at the age of 51.
  Dennis Fritz, recently wrote a book called, "Journey Toward Justice" about the case, is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
  Attorneys for Grisham, hang much of their argument for dismissal on First Amendment freedom of speech.
  “Grisham’s book, just like each of the other books about which the plaintiffs complain, is core political speech protected by the First Amendment and representing the highest order of public service by raising awareness about important social and political issues – the criminal justice system – and bringing to light issues of public concern about the performance by government officials of their public duties,” their brief states.
  They also told the court that long-established Oklahoma law forecloses any civil liability for criticism of the acts of public officials, except for any statement that “falsely imputes crime to the officer so criticized.”
  The attorneys contend that Grisham’s book amounts to constitutionally protected opinion, and that the complaint “does not contain enough facts to state any claim against Grisham and Doubleday that is plausible on its face.”
  They also said the plaintiffs should be required to identify specifically each allegedly actionable statement made by each defendant.
  “Their suggestion that The Innocent Man portrays them generally as ‘bad guys’ for their roles in the controversial convictions discussed in the book does not state a claim against Grisham and Doubleday,” the author’s attorneys stated to the court.
  The attorneys also contend that the plaintiffs’ false-light invasion of privacy claim is deficient for similar reasons, with the added argument that a public official can have no expectation of privacy with respect to the performance of public duties.
  
  Bill Peterson recently announced his intention to retire Jan. 2008, after serving some 27 years as district attorney.

DA Bill Peterson Who Is Suing John Grisham Dennis Fritz Robert Mayer Barry Scheck and Their Publishers Retiring January

Bill Peterson district attorney for the 22nd district that includes Pontotoc, Seminole and Hughes counties, in Oklahoma said he plans to retire after Jan. 1. after 27 years.
In Sept. this year less then 2 months ago, Bill Peterson decided to sue John Grisham and Doubleday Dell Publishing Group.
The lawsuit also names:
•Dennis Fritz, the author of “Journey Toward Justice.”
•Robert Mayer, author of “The Dreams of Ada.”
•Barry Scheck, one of Fritz’s lawyers who helped exonerate him, and a co-author of “Actual Innocence,” that discusses the case of Williamson and Fritz.
•The Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, publisher of “The Innocent Man” and “Actual Innocence.”
•Random House Inc., which owns Doubleday Dell.
•Broadway Books, publisher of “The Dreams of Ada.”
•Seven Locks Press and/or James C. Riordan, publisher of “Journey Toward Justice.”The lawsuit, filed in federal court, alleges civil conspiracy, libel, placing a person in a false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Peterson says the defendants "coordinated their efforts to launch a massive joint defamatory attack" on him.

William N. Peterson got murder convictions on two men, Dennis Fritz and Ron Williamson, who did 12 years in prison before they were cleared by DNA evidence. Fritz and Williamson's experiences are chronicled in two books, John Grisham's first nonfiction book, "The Innocent Man," and Dennis Fritz's, book, "Journey Toward Justice". Bill Peterson got questionable convictions on two other men, Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, in a separate murder case.
They are still in prison.
Robert Mayer, is the author of “The Dreams of Ada.” A book written primary about the murder of Denice Haraway and the subsequent investigation, prosecution and conviction of Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot. The other Plaintiff in the lawsuit is Gary Rogers, a former agent for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.Bill Peterson and Gary Rogers were instrumental in the conviction of Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz in the murder of Debbie Sue Carter in Ada, Oklahoma in 1982.

"It is something I've been thinking about for a while and came to the conclusion that it is time,” Bill Peterson" told the Ada Evening News . "I am 64 years old and came to the realization it's time to go to another phase in my life.”

UPDATE SEPT.2008 - Click Here For Update - CASE DISMISSED

John Grisham and Dennis Fritz Lawsuit - Publisher welcomes libel suit

Seven Locks Press in Santa Ana is small-time, publishing about 25 titles a year. But it has joined big boys Doubleday and Random House, as well as author John Grisham and defense attorney Barry Scheck, as defendants in a defamation lawsuit involving the justice – or rather the in justice – system in the small town of Ada, Okla.

The lawsuit is one of the best things that's ever happened to Seven Locks and its owner, Jim Riordan.

"Quite frankly, when I get to put my name next to Grisham and Random House – I'll take that any day," says Riordan, who I met a few years ago when he was working with Deacon Jones on a charity fundraiser.

At the center of the lawsuit is an Oklahoma prosecutor by the name of William N. Peterson. He got murder convictions on two men who did 12 years in prison before they were cleared by DNA evidence. He also got questionable convictions on two other men in a separate murder case. They are still in prison.

The cases spawned three books: "The Dreams of Ada" by journalist Robert Mayer; "The Innocent Man," the first non-fiction book by author Grisham; and "Journey Toward Justice," by Dennis Fritz, who was one of the wrongly convicted men. To varying degrees, the books are critical of Peterson, who has been the elected district attorney for 27 years.

Seven Locks is Fritz's publisher. The first editions of the Grisham and Fritz books and an updated version of Mayer's were all published within weeks of each other last fall. Book tours and publicity ensued. Even Fritz, the least-known writer with the smallest house, got on "Dateline," "Hannity and Colmes" and other national shows. In Oklahoma, Peterson seethed.

Last Friday, Peterson and a detective who worked on the Fritz case sued the publishers, the authors and attorney Scheck, who represented Fritz, wrote the foreward for Fritz's book and wrote about the case in his own book, "Actual Innocence." Grisham had also provided a cover blurb for Fritz.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court, alleges civil conspiracy, libel, placing a person in a false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Peterson says the defendants "coordinated their efforts to launch a massive joint defamatory attack" on him and the detective.

"There's no merit," to the suit, Riordan says. The reason his book published two days before Grisham's was competitive.

By rights, Riordan says, Fritz's book should have gone to a major publishing house, but with Grisham's in the works at Random, no one else wanted to touch it. So, Riordan says, he bought it on the condition that it would be finished in time to compete with Grisham's, not complement it.

You tell from his voice that Riordan is as emotionally invested in Fritz's story as he is financially. He talks about how when Fritz finally got out of jail in 1999, he went to a motel and was puzzled when they wouldn't give him a key – just a piece of plastic that resembled a credit card. And how when he went to a gas station, no attendant came out to wait on him.

"That's what losing 12 years does to you," Riordan says.

I read "The Dreams of Ada." In about three days. In most true-crime books you're scared of the defendants. In this one, you're scared of the prosecutor. I have "Journey Toward Justice" on deck. It's sold about 35,000 copies so far, the fastest-selling book in Seven Lock's 30-year history. The lawsuit will only help.



read more Orange Countrys News Source FRANK MICKADEIT
Register columnist

UPDATE SEPT. 2008 CASE DISMISSED Grisham - Fritz - Mayer - Scheck Lawsuit
Click here for update

DA Bill Peterson Suing The Innocent Man Dennis Fritz For Emotional Distress

Dennis Fritz, who wrote the book, "Journey Toward Justice", is named as a defendant in a libel lawsuit along with , John Grisham, author of "The Innocent Man", Robert Mayer, author of "The Dreams of Ada", and all their publishers, and New York City attorney Barry Scheck, Fritz's former lawyer who once represented Fritz and is co-director of The Innocence Project. With the aid of Barry Scheck and irrefutable DNA evidence, Dennis Fritz and Ron Williamson were exonerated in 1999.

Pontotoc County District Attorney Bill Peterson and Gary Rogers, a former agent for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation filed the libel lawsuit.
The lawsuit, seeks at least $75,000 compensation and demands a jury trial. Peterson and Rogers were instrumental in the conviction of Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz in the murder of Debbie Sue Carter in Ada, Oklahoma in 1982. The conviction was later overturned on DNA evidence pursued by the Innocence Project, which Scheck heads, Dennis Fritz was wrongfully convicted of a crime he did not commit and spent 12 years in prison. Part of the lawsuit claims the defendants conspired to commit libel against the plaintiffs, generate publicity for self interest by placing them in a false light and intentionally inflicting emotional distress upon them.

So... Prosecutor with the help of Gary Rogers sent 2 innocent men, Dennis Fritz and Ron Williamson to prison for 12 years. Both Innocent men freed by DNA evaluation of crime scene evidence. Innocent man, Dennis Fritz writes book about his experiences. Prosecutor and Gary Rogers sue the innocent man they wrongfully sent to prison and Prosecutor and Rogers sue for intentionally inflicting emotional distress upon them. Only in America Folks...

UPDATE SEPT 18th, 2008 Federal Judge Dismisses Libel Lawsuit Against John Grisham

UPDATE OCT. 2008

This story is just unbelievable. A libel lawsuit against Dennis Fritz, author of Journey Toward Justice and author, John Grisham headed to court of appeals

Read more Here

John Grisham and The Innocent Man Dennis Fritz Journey Toward Justice Lawsuit - Fritz is The Other Innocent Man in Grisham's Book The Innocent Man

Friday, September 28, 2007 12:43 PM CDT
TULSA, Okla. - Legal thriller writer John Grisham, an Arkansas native, has been named in a libel lawsuit filed over a nonfiction book he wrote about the 1982 murder of Debbie Sue Carter in Ada.
The lawsuit, filed Friday morning U.S. District Court, also names several other defendants and seeks relief of more than $75,000.

The two men originally convicted of Carter's murder, Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz, were later exonerated by DNA evidence and freed after 12 years in prison.

Their experiences are chronicled in two books, John Grisham's first nonfiction book, "The Innocent Man," and Fritz's "Journey Toward Justice."

Fritz is among those named as a defendant.

The plaintiffs are Pontotoc County District Attorney Bill Peterson, based in Ada, and Gary Rogers, a former agent for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)
The Pontotoc County District Attorney Bill Peterson is the prosecutor who sent Dennis Fritz and Ron Williamson, 2 innocent men to prison for 12 years with no evidence against them. The real killer was the prosecution's key witness.
I will leave my comments to myself. But,Please add your comments to my blog. Barbara's Journey Toward Justice HERE

Mike Nifong My Good News Story I Am Sure More To Come

News anchors always wish us a Good Evening and the end of their news broadcast. With the stories of, murders, terrorist attacks and war, it is no wonder millions of people have a hard time falling asleep, much less then a Good Evening. There are a lot of sleep aid commericals, but with the list of side affect I rather count sheep...... Last week was different the news was good. I am talking about Mike Nifong and the Lacrosse members case. Mike Nifong DISBARRED. I read most main stream news, but I came across a post from a blogger I like to share.
Author William Newmiller.

This is his Blog Heading:

Bearing False Witness
Wrongful convictions: researchers estimate 130,000 to 260,000 American inmates did not commit the crime they've been convicted of. My son is one of them, convicted of murder despite exculpatory evidence. This blog is dedicated to exonerating him and others by raising our national awareness of wrongful convictions..

Here is the post:
Sunday, June 17, 2007

Will Mike Nifong Pay the Piper?
Disgraced and now disbarred, Mike Nifong, the nefarious prosecutor in the Duke lacrosse case, may (and should) face further sanctions. USA Today reports he may face a criminal investigation. About time. The real scandal, though is how many prosecutors never face consequences for violating the public trust. Bill Peterson, the Ada, Oklahoma, district attorney exposed in John Grisham's book Innocent Man, continues to practice law as the District Attorney in Ada, even though he admits to his role in sentencing an innocent man to death. On his web site, Peterson says, "I cannot change the reality that two men were convicted of a crime they did not commit." He neglects to say that had he exercised a bit of diligence and common sense while representing the people of Oklahoma, he could have prevented the wrongful conviction in the first place. The cavalier arrogance of prosecutors more concerned with the appearance of justice rather than the pursuit of justice is, simply, against the law. Prosecutors, as representatives of the people, are charged with seeking truth and justice rather than simply convictions. When their ethical compass becomes obscured by ambition, a polictical agenda, or just mean-spiritedness, they need to face consequences. They need to pay the piper.

I also thought this was great to share.
From Charlotte Observer Aug.3

By David Ingram and Mark Johnson
Remove judges or DAs: It might be called the "Mike Nifong Act" after the disgraced Durham district attorney, because this legislation provides for removing judges or district attorneys who are stripped of their law license.

NBC Dateline The Accused and John Grisham Comments Here Ada Oklamhoma Murders

Please post your comments about the NBC Dateline Show The Accused aired May 22 here. To post comment click on the word comments below

NBC Dateline Tuesday May 22 The Ada Hour Injustice of Wrongful Convictions Featuring Dennis Fritz Author of Journey Toward Justice

NBC Dateline will air on Tuesday May 22 The Ada Hour.
The Ada Hour will chronicle the repeated injustice of wrongful convictions.
In addition to John Grisham, District Attorney Bill Peterson, Barry Scheck and Robert Mayer the piece will feature Dennis Fritz the author of Journey Toward Justice. Please feel free to post your comments about The Ada Hour here.