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Sunday, April 25, 2010
SUPERCLUBS chairman, John Issa admitted in his continuing lawsuit in Florida that among the journalists he had sued over time in Jamaica were Lisa Hanna, Carlene the Dance Hall Queen and Tony 'T Robb' Robinson.
Issa also answered questions about business partners he had sued, in a follow-up deposition in the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit in and for Miami-Dade County, where he filed a lawsuit claiming that he was defamed by e-mails traced to computers originating in Florida.
Attorney Reginald Clyne of Clyne and Associates, representing the defendants in the lawsuit, asked Issa if he had sued journalists, at least Tony Robinson and Paget deFreitas.
Issa: "Yes, because he (deFreitas) was editor of the Observer when the libellous material was printed."
Clyne: "Have you sued any other journalists?"
Issa: "In the broadest sense, yes, TV journalists."
Clyne: "Who are they?"
Issa: "They are paid up. One was Lisa Hanna (the current People's National Party MP), and if I could ask for some help. I'm not sure of the names. Who was in charge of the programme (CVM's Voices)?
Zein Nakash (Issa's daughter): "Carlene."
Issa: "Not Carlene. The one who's the main one in the programme."
Nakash: "Lisa Hanna."
Issa: "Carlene and Lisa Hanna."
Clyne: "Carlene, what was the last name?"
Nakash: "The Dance Hall Queen."
Issa: "I know it was Carlene, Dance Hall Queen. I don't know her real name. The TV station paid up. We didn't get to court with them. They came, they directly apologised and they gave me a substantial cheque and I don't think I'm allowed to say the amount."
Clyne: "I don't need to know."
Issa: "And free time on the station."
Clyne: "Any other journalists that you have sued besides the ones you have named: Dance Hall Queen, Lisa Hanna, Paget deFreitas and Tony Robinson?"
Joe DeMaria (Issa's lawyer): "Mr Freitas."
Issa: "deFreitas."
Clyne: "Yeah, Mr deFreitas - d-e-F-r-e-i-t-a-s. Anybody else you have sued that's a journalist?"
Issa: "I'm not sure what journalist or... when we sue to do with letters to the editors that were libellous and were published four of them in a sequence, I can't remember if we attached the editor or anybody to the suit. I don't recall the editor/journalist."
Clyne: "Yes. Anybody that is in the print, TV, radio?"
Issa: "We may have attached the editor because that is what the lawyers say you have to do."
Clyne: "When did you file these lawsuits against Lisa Hanna, Carlene the Dance Hall Queen, before these e-mails started?"
Issa: "Oh yes."
Clyne: "Mr Robinson was also sued before these e-mails started, right?"
Issa: "Yes. This was in the early 2000s."
Clyne: "And Mr deFreitas was sued before these e-mails before some of these e-mails were started?"
Issa: "Yes. Incidentally, Mr deFreitas now works for The Gleaner."
Attorney Clyne also asked the SuperClubs boss how many lawsuits had he filed against "former shareholders, former joint venture partners, former leaseholders, former management contracts".
Clyne: "...Anybody else that you have had litigation with or arbitrations with, Mr Issa?"
Issa: "To do with what?"
Clyne: "Your business operations."
Issa: "I can't remember all the accident lawsuits and..."
DeMaria: "Mr Issa, listen to his question. Listen to his question. Take your time. Mr Issa, listen to me first, then listen to his question. His question was specific. He asked about lawsuits with your business partners. He didn't ask about slip and fall lawsuits at your hotel, okay? Take your time. We are not in a hurry."
Issa: "I can't recall any others."
Clyne: "Is it over 20?
Issa "Huh?"
Clyne: "Is it over 20 lawsuits?"
Issa: "No. I've told you two and I told you I can't recall any others."
<span style="font-style: italic">To be continued </span>
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