Steve Thomas's settlement deal with the Ramseys

[candy]

There are a couple of bad posters claiming that Thomas didn't settle with the Ramseys, his publisher did. Misnomer Legal_Eagle wrote:
"Liar liar pants on fire.
ST did NOT settle with the Ramseys - the publishing company did." and CSI Fraud wrote: You're exactly right, the publisher's insurer FORCED him to settle."
These are flat out lies. Here's the article from the front page of the Atlanta legal journal Fulton County Daily Report, in which Lin Wood gave an interview about THOMAS SETTLING, as did his publisher, as did his co-author, ALL on the same day.
This CSI fraud poster has no legal knowledge. Thomas had his OWN LAWYERS, he did NOT have to settle when his publisher did, HE CHOSE TO. The liability would have been his alone if he LOST, and he didn't bother to see if that would happen:

[candy]

www.dailyreportonline.com
Attorney for Parents of JonBenet Ramsey Lands Two Libel Settlements
R. Robin McDonald
Fulton County Daily Report
March 19, 2002
In a one-two punch, L. Lin Wood Jr. has settled two unrelated libel cases: one brought by the parents of JonBenét Ramsey against a police detective turned author and a second filed by AirTran Airways Inc. against the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Wood reached both settlements with attorneys at Washington, D.C.-based Dow, Lohnes & Albertson -- his legal arch-nemesis in libel litigation.
The terms of both settlements are confidential, Wood said. The Atlanta lawyer said he reached a verbal settlement last Friday on behalf of John and Patsy Ramsey WITH ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING FORMER BOULDER, COLO. POLICE DETECTIVE STEVE THOMAS. AirTran's libel suit against the Plain Dealer settled two weeks ago.

[candy]

Wood said both cases settled after his clients secured favorable court rulings from two federal judges in Atlanta.
ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING THOMAS, co-author DonDavis and their publisher, St. Martin's Press, offered to settle with the Ramseys the same day that U.S. District Judge Willis B. Hunt Jr. decided the libel case could be tried in Georgia, said Wood. Ramsey v. Thomas, No.1:01-cv-801 (N.D. Ga. March 17, 2002). Thomas and Davis wrote "JonBenét: Insidethe Ramsey Murder Investigation."
Sean R. Smith, an attorney at Dow, Lohnes& Albertson, which defended Davis and St. Martin's, declined to comment on the case. The firm is also local counsel for Los Angeles attorney Daniel M. Petrocelli, who represented Thomas. Petrocelli was not available for comment.
David Kaye, senior vice president for legalaffairs at St. Martin's in New York, neither would confirm nor would deny that a settlement agreement has been reached.
The Ramseys sued Thomas last year, claimingthat his book on the investigation of their 6-year-old daughter's 1996 murder laid the blame for the slaying squarely on Patsy Ramsey. The suit accused Thomas of libel and slander and sought $80 million in damages. As a Boulder, Colo., police detective, Thomas was assigned to investigate JonBenét's death. In 2000, a grand jury declined to indict the Ramseys for their daughter's slaying. The Ramseys moved to the Atlanta area in 1997.
Wood said Hunt's order means that, "If youwrite the book, baby, you distribute it in Georgia, you make money on it in Georgia, and the plaintiff lives in Georgia, you can be sued in Georgia."
Wood said that trying the case in Georgia "isinherently more fair."
"Think about how difficult it would be formost individuals to have to go to Colorado or New York to pursue a libel caseeven though the damage occurs to them where they reside," he said.
And, in the Ramseys' case, the couple "clearly is going to be treated more fairly in Georgia where they have notsuffered the negative publicity that they suffered in Colorado."
Thomas' attorneys had argued that the suit could not be tried in Georgia but, rather, must be tried in Colorado where JonBenét was killed and where the majority of the book was written.
Hunt disagreed. "First, both Mr. Thomas and Mr. Davis traveled to Georgia, though Mr. Thomas more often than Mr. Davis, todo research on the Ramseys and to visit certain locations located in Atlanta in preparation for the book, including the home of the Ramseys and the grave of JonBenét Ramsey," Hunt wrote.
"Second, the book has been heavily marketedand sold in Atlanta, Georgia, a likely high sales area due to the fact that theRamseys re-located here from Boulder, Colorado.... Mr. Davis and Mr. Thomas have not denied the fact that they derive substantial profits from the sales of thebooks, including those sales performed in Georgia. At the time the book was published and released for sale, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Davis were accusing Georgia residents of a crime, thereby affecting their reputation in their home community of Atlanta, Georgia....[A]lmost all of the harm, or the 'effects' resulting from the book would take place wherever the Ramseys lived at the time the book was published, marketed and sold."
Wood said the settlement with Thomas "totally vindicates" the Ramseys. However, he noted that Thomas "doesn't have a whole lot of money."
He added, "The dollar amount is irrelevant tothe Ramseys. They sued this case as a matter of principle." Like most settlements, the defendants made no admissions. But, Wood insisted, "The result speaks for itself. How many people settle a libel case?"

[candy]

As Lin Wood noted, Thomas himself didn't have much money to fork out (in Ramsey terms), so he went after the deep pockets publisher, who also paid out, and then was going to sue the BPD, until they turned over the case to the DA's office.

These settlements were PRICELESS to the Ramseys, because they effectively gutted all suits where Thomas was a key witness against them, the Wolf and Linda Hoffmann-Pugh suits. Neither of these litigants wanted to settle in spite of Thomas's actions and didn't. But as I noted here, the Judges saw this right on the front page of their main legal journal. Linda Hoffmann-Pugh's case was dismissed 3 weeks after this settlement in Atlanta, and the Wolf case, a year later. Thomas falsely expressed sympathy especially for Linda Hoffmann-Pugh, to many people, about what she had endured at the hands of Team Ramsey, but he was all to willing to gut her case with his settlement. This guy's only concern EVER was to profit from the case file, and LEAVE forever. He DID NOT care about Justice for Linda Hoffmann-Pugh or Chris Wolf, he was more interested in getting himself off the hook and making sure his own suit never went forward.

[candy]

Just some of the damage, from his book, and his settlement. I remembered this passage, where Mary Lacy said she would run her case where Thomas was barely mentioned:

Exhibit 4: 2nd noisy exit

If any detective's departure was more noisy than Arndt's, it was that of Steve Thomas.

Thomas quit the Boulder Police Department on June 26, 1998, but it wasn't until Aug. 6 of that year - JonBenet's eighth birthday, were she still alive - that it became very public knowledge.

In a resignation letter that weighed in at eight pages, Thomas laid bare the core of the dysfunctional relationship that had festered for 18 months between his department and Hunter's office, blasting the prosecutor's team for "facilitating the escape of justice."

It went on. And on.

"There is evidence that was critical to this investigation, that to this day has never been collected, because neither search warrants nor other means were supported to do so," he wrote. "Not to mention evidence which still sits today, untested in the laboratory, as differences continue about how to proceed."

Thomas was mostly silent in succeeding years, but in the wake of the Karr situation, he posted an open letter on a Web site maintained by friends and supporters: Forstevethomas.com .

"As illustrated in my 1998 resignation letter, I previously had little confidence (now, none) in the Boulder DA's Office ever solving the Ramsey homicide," he wrote. "If there were any lingering questions as to why I departed, I believe the events of the 13 days in August concerning John Mark Karr simply add an exclamation point to that resignation."

The no-confidence vote of a former detective, who now builds houses in Australia, might not seem a fatal blow in a future prosecution.

But he, too, could be called as a defense witness.

Lacy said it's possible she could put on a case in which he's barely mentioned. But even if the prosecution wants to use Thomas simply to establish certain facts he uncovered as an investigator, some say, his book poses more problems.

"If Steve Thomas takes the stand and says X, he can be contradicted with the fact that he wrote Y in his book," Robinson said. "If you write it down, and you're a witness and you change your story, you're going to hear about it in cross-examination."

The mere existence of Thomas's book could create problems.

Robinson said, "If you can show someone profited at all (from the case), that's going to stain the jury's perception of what they have to say."

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2006/de...

Putting on a case where Steve Thomas is either not a witness or barely mentioned is the result of his actions in this case. He was not called to the grand jury, he claims he was not served a subpoena to a civil case in which he would have been asked under oath if he leaked the ransom note, he was dropped from the WINNING Fox News witness list (as was Fleet White) after lawyers from that case studied the Wolf case, and determined, as Lacy did, that's its better to either not call Thomas as a witness or barely mention him, to avoid all the problems of him as a witness.

[Legal_Eagle]

Using Lin Wood as a source, LMAO? Even you should know better than that. Lin Wood says what Lin Wood wants to say, it has nothing to do with the truth. You are so laughable Candy - and predictable!

ST did not settle. The Publisher did. ST did not pay a penny to the Ramseys. The Publisher did. Get over it.

Better yet, pick up the phone next time ST calls you and ask him, LMAO!

[WV Sleuth]

What is Candy, a file clerk? Like she matters. Like Steve would be remotely interested in talking to her. Did you ever request all that money back, Candy? Did he blow you off? A damned shame, ain't it?

[koldkase]

Oh, poor gutter candy! Still can't get Thomas to answer that phone, can you?

Well, I have a NEW plan for you, gutter candy! Don't you think it's about time you switched teams? Oh, that Lin Wood looks so good on that horse, with that white hair piece blowing in the wind! I think he's more your type, gutter candy! You and he could chew each other up until you both look like beef jerky dolls!

Yeah, you really need to go for WOOD! Uh huh! A little birdie told ME that Wood has a thing for you, too! Oh yeah! WOOD'S the man for you!

[CSIEngland]

My god, gutter candy, don't you have any sense at all? A publisher can FORCE an author to settle a lawsuit. It happened to Joe McGinniss in the Jeffrey MacDonald case over FATAL VISION. That case went to trial and the publisher forced McGinniss to settle against his will.

And by the way, Steve's number never showed up on your called ID. He has caller ID blocking!

I agree, KK, if she's quoting Lin Wood, it's time she switched teams.

[candy]

Of course the gutter and CSI Fraud can't stand Lin Wood's 100 percent ACCURATE descriptions of both Thomas's and White's depos THAT HE TOOK, and of course, Thomas's lawyers want to say NOTHING about their pathetic quick settlement with the Ramseys.

Here's some more of what Lin Wood said about Thomas's depo that was 100 percent accurate:

"It is my clear belief that when the public learns about his testimony, they will realize Steve Thomas ... would have been fired in 1997, probably prosecuted, without question disgraced and would not have been in a position to write a book and make hundreds of thousand of dollars," Wood said.

and

Wood termed Thomas' attempt at keeping the deposition private the "height of hypocrisy" and something the federal court in Georgia will not tolerate.

"This is a man who has written a book accusing my clients of murder," Wood said. "Steve Thomas does not want the public to know the truth. When truth comes out, the people who were attacking the Ramseys want to run from the truth."

www.dailycamera.com

[candy]

Thomas's quotes about calling me demonstrate he's turned into a carbon copy of his convicted perjurer friend Mark ("I didn't say the N word") Furhman. It's his MO to LIE until he gets CAUGHT. He didn't turn himself in for leaks, like he did Larry Mason. Knowing that NO DA will be using him except for the bare minimum of testimony that cannot solicit any other way, and then getting out their best place kicker to boot him down field on the Team Ramsey side for the remainder of any criminal case, I am offering Lin Wood, as I have before, my records which I believe PROVE who called me, and he can prove this by SUBPOENAING Thomas's phone records for YEARS to see if they match up with what I submit were Thomas's calls for years. Thomas can't redact or doctor subpoenaed records from ALL of the phone companies he has used, and all the phone numbers he has used. Thomas has neither the integrity nor the character to admit when he gets busted, he LIES right up until he gets CAUGHT, and then tries to cover up his statements from public scrutiny forever. So if you're interested in adding to the mountain of impeachment you already have on Thomas, here's more.

[Legal_Eagle]

candy wrote:

Thomas's quotes about calling me demonstrate he's turned into a carbon copy of his convicted perjurer friend Mark ("I didn't say the N word") Furhman. It's his MO to LIE until he gets CAUGHT. He didn't turn himself in for leaks, like he did Larry Mason. Knowing that NO DA will be using him except for the bare minimum of testimony that cannot solicit any other way, and then getting out their best place kicker to boot him down field on the Team Ramsey side for the remainder of any criminal case, I am offering Lin Wood, as I have before, my records which I believe PROVE who called me, and he can prove this by SUBPOENAING Thomas's phone records for YEARS to see if they match up with what I submit were Thomas's calls for years. Thomas can't redact or doctor subpoenaed records from ALL of the phone companies he has used, and all the phone numbers he has used. Thomas has neither the integrity nor the character to admit when he gets busted, he LIES right up until he gets CAUGHT, and then tries to cover up his statements from public scrutiny forever. So if you're interested in adding to the mountain of impeachment you already have on Thomas, here's more.

You are such an angry and bitter woman, not to mention GREEN.

[fr brown]

candy wrote:

Of course the gutter and CSI Fraud can't stand Lin Wood's 100 percent ACCURATE descriptions of both Thomas's and White's depos THAT HE TOOK, and of course, Thomas's lawyers want to say NOTHING about their pathetic quick settlement with the Ramseys.
Here's some more of what Lin Wood said about Thomas's depo that was 100 percent accurate:
"It is my clear belief that when the public learns about his testimony, they will realize Steve Thomas ... would have been fired in 1997, probably prosecuted, without question disgraced and would not have been in a position to write a book and make hundreds of thousand of dollars," Wood said.
and
Wood termed Thomas' attempt at keeping the deposition private the "height of hypocrisy" and something the federal court in Georgia will not tolerate.
"This is a man who has written a book accusing my clients of murder," Wood said. "Steve Thomas does not want the public to know the truth. When truth comes out, the people who were attacking the Ramseys want to run from the truth."
www.dailycamera.com

What depo are they talking about? The one posted on acandyrose? Nothing much there. Wood is a big gasbag.

[whoami]

The actual truth is that once a publisher pays for a manuscript they own it. They either put it into print and sell it, archive it, or destroy it.
It was the publisher and their insurance company who settled in this particular case, but all parties named in the suit had to agree to the settlement. That means Steve agreed so he wouldn't be sued separately.
So it's a grey area as far as saying he settled. Lin is using semantics to try and make it appear that only Steve Thomas settled.
As for him being paid "hundreds of thousands of dollars" as if it were an overly large sum; that's a myth.

[BrotherMoon]

whoami wrote:

The actual truth is that once a publisher pays for a manuscript they own it. They either put it into print and sell it, archive it, or destroy it.
It was the publisher and their insurance company who settled in this particular case, but all parties named in the suit had to agree to the settlement. That means Steve agreed so he wouldn't be sued separately.
So it's a grey area as far as saying he settled. Lin is using semantics to try and make it appear that only Steve Thomas settled.
As for him being paid "hundreds of thousands of dollars" as if it were an overly large sum; that's a myth.

Who are you?

[CSIEngland]

Legal_Eagle wrote:

<quoted text>
You are such an angry and bitter woman, not to mention GREEN.

Greener than those little men from outer space.

[CSIEngland]

whoami wrote:

The actual truth is that once a publisher pays for a manuscript they own it. They either put it into print and sell it, archive it, or destroy it.
It was the publisher and their insurance company who settled in this particular case, but all parties named in the suit had to agree to the settlement. That means Steve agreed so he wouldn't be sued separately.
So it's a grey area as far as saying he settled. Lin is using semantics to try and make it appear that only Steve Thomas settled.
As for him being paid "hundreds of thousands of dollars" as if it were an overly large sum; that's a myth.

Whoever you are, I agree. Steve wasn't paid hundreds of thousands of dollars.

[koldkase]

Nevermind, CSIEngland. Obviously, some people don't understand the concept of a contract.

Do some people really think that St. Martin's Press has only had this one lawsuit? Hello?

But gutter candy, are you SERIOUSLY "offering" your phone records to Wood? HAHAHA For what? Exactly what kind of legal action do you think Wood is going to take? Have Thomas arrested or sue him for showing up in your delusions? Why do you think Thomas would even THINK about you, much less CALL you?

You are mental. Get help.

[candy]

For whoami, thank you very much for coming forward, and your information. My info was and is that Thomas never had to settle when his publisher did, but as you noted, if he stayed on his own THE LIABILITY if he lost WOULD BE HIS. And that was not a chance he would EVER take. He makes sure it's the BPD having to pay the price for his leaks, not him personally, which is my concern with this latest round of leaks from him, that it will be the BPD that pays the price, as they did last time, when the case was taken away from them because of a REAL lawsuit planned by Lin Wood against the BPD for leaks.

[candy]

For whoami, the "hundreds of thousand of dollars" Lin Wood stated, I believe is accurate. He deal was widely believed to have paid $100,000k, and his book was at the top of ten NY Times Best Seller list for weeks. This is the article where Lin Wood made these statements came from:

Attorneys move to block release of deposition

By Pam Regensberg
Camera Staff Writer
----------

Attorneys for a former Boulder detective involved in the JonBenét Ramsey murder investigation moved Tuesday to block his deposition in a related case from becoming public.

An attorney for John and Patsy Ramsey promised to fight Steve Thomas' assertion that the deposition, conducted Sept. 21 in Denver, is confidential.

L. Lin Wood, based in Atlanta, also said Tuesday that depositions of high-ranking officials, including Police Chief Mark Beckner and former District Attorney Alex Hunter, involved in the nearly 5-year-old homicide are to come.

The deposition is part of a lawsuit filed by former Boulder County journalist Chris Wolf against the Ramseys. In their book about the 1996 murder of their daughter, John and Patsy Ramsey named Wolf and a former housekeeper, Linda Hoffman-Pugh, as suspects in the case.

Wood termed Thomas' attempt at keeping the deposition private the "height of hypocrisy" and something the federal court in Georgia will not tolerate.

"This is a man who has written a book accusing my clients of murder," Wood said. "Steve Thomas does not want the public to know the truth. When truth comes out, the people who were attacking the Ramseys want to run from the truth."

Wood said his clients want everything put on the table and the murder file made public.

In that vein, Wood has subpoenaed Thomas' files related to the investigation, including some Boulder police reports related to the murder case.

Thomas was out of the state and could not be reached for comment. His attorney in Atlanta, Sean R. Smith, did not return a telephone call to the Daily Camera.

Thomas was one of several investigators on the Ramsey case. The 6-year-old was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family's home Dec. 26, 1996. No one has been charged with the crime. Thomas, who resigned from the Boulder Police Department in 1998, wrote a book about the investigation, alleging that Patsy Ramsey killed her daughter. The Ramseys filed a libel lawsuit against Thomas in March.

In a one-page fax to Wood's office on Tuesday, Thomas' attorneys in Los Angeles said their client's deposition is confidential based on sections of the confidentiality order entered by U.S. District Court Judge Julie E. Carnes in Atlanta.

"It is my clear belief that when the public learns about his testimony, they will realize Steve Thomas ... would have been fired in 1997, probably prosecuted, without question disgraced and would not have been in a position to write a book and make hundreds of thousand of dollars," Wood said.

www.dailycamera.com