IMC Journalist takes Daily Mail to Court
Marcus Covell | 11.03.2002 04:32
For a long time I have refused to comment about the Daily Mail article......
“ ARMED GUARD ON BRITON WHO LED RIOTERS"
"A Briton was under armed guard in an Italian hospital last night, accused of helping to mastermind the bloody Genoa riots.
Mark Covell, 33, was arrested at the protestor’s HQ.
The freelance web-designer is said to have been in charge of computer systems used to co-ordinate attacks on the G8 summit by anarchist groups and could face five years in jail......"
“ ARMED GUARD ON BRITON WHO LED RIOTERS"
"A Briton was under armed guard in an Italian hospital last night, accused of helping to mastermind the bloody Genoa riots.
Mark Covell, 33, was arrested at the protestor’s HQ.
The freelance web-designer is said to have been in charge of computer systems used to co-ordinate attacks on the G8 summit by anarchist groups and could face five years in jail......"
I have a great surprise and some bad news for everyone which will only go serve the opinion I and most people reading this have known for a long time.
For a long time I have refused to comment about the Daily Mail article , “ ARMED GUARD ON BRITON WHO LED RIOTERS”, printed on Monday 23rd of July, because of legal and personal reasons. I was always told that I could not jeopardise my case due to the reasons that Lucy Morris would claim an unfair trial. Well, it seems that I am the one who will have an unfair case because of the legal system is stacked against me, the victim. It is now time to turn the tables against Lucy Morris and the Daily Mail.
The first thing that you must understand about this case, is that it is about one Democratic Media journalist accusing a corporate media journalist of defamation and invasion of privacy. I have learnt that the Daily Mail thinks it is beyond the law and because they are a newspaper, I am going to use the corporate media to prove that the Daily Mail is the worst of the worst, both in court and by using the media. It means that I will probably come off worse but the only options I have, is to cause them maximum cost and embarrassment with the hope that other corporate media newspapers will sell newspapers (and make money) out of the story that destroyed my life, my family and made so much money for the Daily Mail….
I seriously hope that the rest of corporate media will use the same tactics against the Daily Mail to make money as they did out of me. Believe me I have already had offers of help in that department because the Daily Mail seems to have a great deal of enemies!
By its nature, this is a very unusual case because journalists normally do not take each other to court. A media lawyer told me that all judges look at this kind of case by judging that all journalists are the same and therefore it was going to be very difficult to get the case settled. I thought that this view by judges will be a difficult one to get round but I feel confident that I can prove the point that all journalists are not the same. It was and still is, only the beginning of my problems.
The case is made up of two major parts. The first is:
Defamation of Character.
Despite the idea that IF I was a true revolutionary, I would stand up and claim that I led the riot but I am not a ‘leader’ or a ‘Terrorist’ nor am I a revolutionary spokesperson for the movement. What is true is that I am sick of the ethics, actions and mental understanding of corporate media. This is why I was a news dispatcher for IMC-GENOA at the time of the G8 summit, between the 19th and 22nd of July and I can prove it. I wanted to bring an Independent news viewpoint to what was happening in Genoa so that the world would not be lied to by corporate media. My argument was born and justified by what happened in Genoa and then what corporate media did to me as an example of how sick and twisted corporate media can be.
Lucy Morris claims that I was the leader of the Rioters. She will have to prove this in an English court if I am allowed to be given the chance by the legal system (of which, I am rapidly getting disheartened about as a victim). I know she will have an impossible task because I was never there on the streets!
To prove her story, she needs a photo of me, on the streets (at least), directing Black Bloc. There are none. My Italian Lawyer has told me that the Italian police have desperately been trying to find a photo so they can charge me. They have been unable to do so. Believe me, the Italians have tried because it would blunt my case against the Italian Government over what happened that night.
Likewise, she will have to prove that I was in charge of the computer systems in Genoa. She would have to level that accusation at all 150 IMC Journalist’s and when the Diaz case comes to court, I will endeavour to prove that I only worked in IRC and posting a few articles. My entire audience were the three and a half million people that visited IMC during the time of protest. This means that the audience I was talking to was not in Genoa but on the Internet. I spent much of my time trying to confirm information, (something the Daily Mail does not do) and helping injured people.
Indeed, most of the police officers and politicians that will be in the dock will try and use the Daily Mail article against me in Italy as proof of what they think I am, a Block Bloc terrorist and a leader of rioters…….. I will come on to this point later in my summarisation of my situation because Lucy Morris does not realise that the cops who let her in were breaking the law and she may be forced to attend the Diaz Trial in Rome next year. Either assisting the cops defend their case ( she may not have a choice) and/or explain herself to an Italian judge of how she got her information and access(the Genoa prosecutors do not care about “ journalist privilege” when trying to find out information as to what actually happened)
Anyway, ploughing on….
Recently, I learned that I was going to need £50,000 to bring the defamation case against the Daily Mail. My lawyer says sorry, but there is a very good reason why it is called the rich man’s law…..it seems that the legal system is going to allow this journalist doing what she does, with immunity unless you have 50,000 pounds shoved in your pockets. Because of the fact that I do not have £50,000 the issue of defamation will stand against me and it will remain unchallenged for the time being. I am disgusted that a legal system that allows journalists to do what they like, cannot be challenged unless you have money.
It also seems to me that this law was only devised with film stars and pop stars in mind and not me, a person without any money. The only reason she is going to get away with it because defamation is NOT covered by legal aid. It seems that this issue of defamation, accusing me of being a terrorist, will not be challenged and therefore never judged upon. And so it will stand against me because I cannot afford to defend myself and people will think I am guilty by a headline.
which then forces me to consider other methods of justice against the newspaper.
I have discovered that because I cannot afford to defend myself and with a legal system stacked in favour of people who can afford it…. the corporate media can go about accusing people of being terrorists without any proof and sell newspapers, and making a load of money. I was told that I sold 200,000 extra Daily Mail newspapers that day because I was on the front cover.
It seems that the Daily Mail thought it a good idea to make money and sell newspapers, full of lies because they knew no-one could afford to challenge them. Well, they are dead wrong. If the anti-capitalist movement can take on the G8, it can and will destroy the creditability of a poxy newspaper like the Daily Mail.
And this I intend to do. The Daily Mail used the format of corporate media to destroy me and my family and thus I will use the Court of public opinion to convict the newspaper every day when I step out of court. A message for the Daily Mail. Remember what the movement did to MacDonald’s? think legal fees….
My lawyer thinks I can cause 250,000 pounds worth of damage to the Daily Mail bank account. Not bad.
Now for the Good news that still gives this case meat in court:
Invasion and breach of Privacy under the Human Rights Act 1998, article 8. for which I have just signed the legal aid documents.this charge is related to what happened in the hospital room on the afternoon of the 22nd of july.
I am sorry it has taken along time to start the legal proceedings but I have had my hands full with dealing with Diaz case in Italy and trying to understand what actually happened there at the IMC /GSF raid because those events will have a great bearing on the outcome of the Daily Mail case. I have wanted to bring the case earlier but could not for legal reasons.
Because of the second charge of human rights abuses against Lucy Morris, I will have my day in court and will have a chance to inflict some damage and make her pay for she did to me and my family. This case is about winning JUSTICE! and proving the point to all other corporate media journalists that they cannot do what they like.
I will say this, Lucy Morris. You will be lucky to find a job on a 16 year old chat-up magazine that nobody buys by the time I am finished with you! You have absolutely everything to lose. I have nothing to lose because I have lost everything anyway. I will want to make sure that not even the sickest newspaper in the land will give you a job because you will cost them too much in legal fees to defend your pathetic version of journalism. I do know this, you are a far cry from the standard of other journalists that came to see me, once I was released from armed guard. They did print most of the truth of which you should of done and I let them form their own opinion. Strange that the cops that were around to help you were not there to explain to the other journalists of my “crimes”.
Even when I am finished with you Lucy, the Genoa prosecutors and the cops charged with European Human Rights Charges, have not. It seems they are either depending on you to get them out of trouble whilst the Judge will have questions about how you managed to get into my hospital room. Bribery of police officers, perhaps?
That is a serious charge but one that needs to be investigated. Whatever the truth, of which I doubt we will ever get to the bottom of because you have the right not to reveal sources. A same protection that I want and will use.
Finally, I would like to say something of the Press Complaints Commission. Even though I have absolutely no confidence in what the PCC does because they allow corporate media journalist’s to become more sick and more immoral to get a story. I am further backed up by the fact that Lord Wakeham had very seedy connections with corporate media bosses and I am sure if I had placed a complaint, it would have been in the “pending tray” forever. Also Wakeham is involved in the Enron scandal. What hope does an anti-capitalist journalist have when the ex-boss of the PCC loves taking money and directorships like there is no tomorrow..... of getting a fair hearing?
I am sure that the PCC will be informed of this case and will be asked to mediate. Under the wolf press commission rules, I am obliged to do so by setting out the minimum of an out of court settlement. The minimum I will accept is total justice over both charges not just the single charge I can bring.
Personally the PCC should look at the fact that a penniless, a seriously depressed, living in a council flat, having to deal with more problems than he can cope with, being unable to defend himself of being accused of being a terrorist because he does not have £50,000 pounds in his pockets…..and being denied legal aid over the very serious issue of defamation.
I just wish I was a pop star. They seem to get justice or do they buy justice, PCC?
If the PCC is interested in saving its reputation as I heard a few weeks ago, it can approach me to discuss. I will not go to their door because I do not believe I will get a fair hearing or judgement when so much is stacked against me.
My e-mail is :
sky-indymedia@btclick.com
background stuff and an account of what happened in Genoa
http://uk.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=7431
the Daily Mail article, plus comments
http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=7604
Guardian Interview
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4229165,00.html
the observer the weekend after Genoa
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4230159,00.html
Daily Mail responds to IMC plus comments
http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=9671
Undercurrents article of the media coverage of Genoa
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4241829,00.html
Lastly, i was told that Lucy Morris received Death threats. i am not sure if they are for real or it is a tactic but i ask all people not to do this because it damages my case. I urge people to think what the celebrations would be like if i can financially hurt the Daily Mail.
i also want the movement to respect my personal human rights when dealing with the Daily Mail. i will hand you the victory that everybody wants, soon.
In solidarity to everyone and thanking you all so far
For a long time I have refused to comment about the Daily Mail article , “ ARMED GUARD ON BRITON WHO LED RIOTERS”, printed on Monday 23rd of July, because of legal and personal reasons. I was always told that I could not jeopardise my case due to the reasons that Lucy Morris would claim an unfair trial. Well, it seems that I am the one who will have an unfair case because of the legal system is stacked against me, the victim. It is now time to turn the tables against Lucy Morris and the Daily Mail.
The first thing that you must understand about this case, is that it is about one Democratic Media journalist accusing a corporate media journalist of defamation and invasion of privacy. I have learnt that the Daily Mail thinks it is beyond the law and because they are a newspaper, I am going to use the corporate media to prove that the Daily Mail is the worst of the worst, both in court and by using the media. It means that I will probably come off worse but the only options I have, is to cause them maximum cost and embarrassment with the hope that other corporate media newspapers will sell newspapers (and make money) out of the story that destroyed my life, my family and made so much money for the Daily Mail….
I seriously hope that the rest of corporate media will use the same tactics against the Daily Mail to make money as they did out of me. Believe me I have already had offers of help in that department because the Daily Mail seems to have a great deal of enemies!
By its nature, this is a very unusual case because journalists normally do not take each other to court. A media lawyer told me that all judges look at this kind of case by judging that all journalists are the same and therefore it was going to be very difficult to get the case settled. I thought that this view by judges will be a difficult one to get round but I feel confident that I can prove the point that all journalists are not the same. It was and still is, only the beginning of my problems.
The case is made up of two major parts. The first is:
Defamation of Character.
Despite the idea that IF I was a true revolutionary, I would stand up and claim that I led the riot but I am not a ‘leader’ or a ‘Terrorist’ nor am I a revolutionary spokesperson for the movement. What is true is that I am sick of the ethics, actions and mental understanding of corporate media. This is why I was a news dispatcher for IMC-GENOA at the time of the G8 summit, between the 19th and 22nd of July and I can prove it. I wanted to bring an Independent news viewpoint to what was happening in Genoa so that the world would not be lied to by corporate media. My argument was born and justified by what happened in Genoa and then what corporate media did to me as an example of how sick and twisted corporate media can be.
Lucy Morris claims that I was the leader of the Rioters. She will have to prove this in an English court if I am allowed to be given the chance by the legal system (of which, I am rapidly getting disheartened about as a victim). I know she will have an impossible task because I was never there on the streets!
To prove her story, she needs a photo of me, on the streets (at least), directing Black Bloc. There are none. My Italian Lawyer has told me that the Italian police have desperately been trying to find a photo so they can charge me. They have been unable to do so. Believe me, the Italians have tried because it would blunt my case against the Italian Government over what happened that night.
Likewise, she will have to prove that I was in charge of the computer systems in Genoa. She would have to level that accusation at all 150 IMC Journalist’s and when the Diaz case comes to court, I will endeavour to prove that I only worked in IRC and posting a few articles. My entire audience were the three and a half million people that visited IMC during the time of protest. This means that the audience I was talking to was not in Genoa but on the Internet. I spent much of my time trying to confirm information, (something the Daily Mail does not do) and helping injured people.
Indeed, most of the police officers and politicians that will be in the dock will try and use the Daily Mail article against me in Italy as proof of what they think I am, a Block Bloc terrorist and a leader of rioters…….. I will come on to this point later in my summarisation of my situation because Lucy Morris does not realise that the cops who let her in were breaking the law and she may be forced to attend the Diaz Trial in Rome next year. Either assisting the cops defend their case ( she may not have a choice) and/or explain herself to an Italian judge of how she got her information and access(the Genoa prosecutors do not care about “ journalist privilege” when trying to find out information as to what actually happened)
Anyway, ploughing on….
Recently, I learned that I was going to need £50,000 to bring the defamation case against the Daily Mail. My lawyer says sorry, but there is a very good reason why it is called the rich man’s law…..it seems that the legal system is going to allow this journalist doing what she does, with immunity unless you have 50,000 pounds shoved in your pockets. Because of the fact that I do not have £50,000 the issue of defamation will stand against me and it will remain unchallenged for the time being. I am disgusted that a legal system that allows journalists to do what they like, cannot be challenged unless you have money.
It also seems to me that this law was only devised with film stars and pop stars in mind and not me, a person without any money. The only reason she is going to get away with it because defamation is NOT covered by legal aid. It seems that this issue of defamation, accusing me of being a terrorist, will not be challenged and therefore never judged upon. And so it will stand against me because I cannot afford to defend myself and people will think I am guilty by a headline.
which then forces me to consider other methods of justice against the newspaper.
I have discovered that because I cannot afford to defend myself and with a legal system stacked in favour of people who can afford it…. the corporate media can go about accusing people of being terrorists without any proof and sell newspapers, and making a load of money. I was told that I sold 200,000 extra Daily Mail newspapers that day because I was on the front cover.
It seems that the Daily Mail thought it a good idea to make money and sell newspapers, full of lies because they knew no-one could afford to challenge them. Well, they are dead wrong. If the anti-capitalist movement can take on the G8, it can and will destroy the creditability of a poxy newspaper like the Daily Mail.
And this I intend to do. The Daily Mail used the format of corporate media to destroy me and my family and thus I will use the Court of public opinion to convict the newspaper every day when I step out of court. A message for the Daily Mail. Remember what the movement did to MacDonald’s? think legal fees….
My lawyer thinks I can cause 250,000 pounds worth of damage to the Daily Mail bank account. Not bad.
Now for the Good news that still gives this case meat in court:
Invasion and breach of Privacy under the Human Rights Act 1998, article 8. for which I have just signed the legal aid documents.this charge is related to what happened in the hospital room on the afternoon of the 22nd of july.
I am sorry it has taken along time to start the legal proceedings but I have had my hands full with dealing with Diaz case in Italy and trying to understand what actually happened there at the IMC /GSF raid because those events will have a great bearing on the outcome of the Daily Mail case. I have wanted to bring the case earlier but could not for legal reasons.
Because of the second charge of human rights abuses against Lucy Morris, I will have my day in court and will have a chance to inflict some damage and make her pay for she did to me and my family. This case is about winning JUSTICE! and proving the point to all other corporate media journalists that they cannot do what they like.
I will say this, Lucy Morris. You will be lucky to find a job on a 16 year old chat-up magazine that nobody buys by the time I am finished with you! You have absolutely everything to lose. I have nothing to lose because I have lost everything anyway. I will want to make sure that not even the sickest newspaper in the land will give you a job because you will cost them too much in legal fees to defend your pathetic version of journalism. I do know this, you are a far cry from the standard of other journalists that came to see me, once I was released from armed guard. They did print most of the truth of which you should of done and I let them form their own opinion. Strange that the cops that were around to help you were not there to explain to the other journalists of my “crimes”.
Even when I am finished with you Lucy, the Genoa prosecutors and the cops charged with European Human Rights Charges, have not. It seems they are either depending on you to get them out of trouble whilst the Judge will have questions about how you managed to get into my hospital room. Bribery of police officers, perhaps?
That is a serious charge but one that needs to be investigated. Whatever the truth, of which I doubt we will ever get to the bottom of because you have the right not to reveal sources. A same protection that I want and will use.
Finally, I would like to say something of the Press Complaints Commission. Even though I have absolutely no confidence in what the PCC does because they allow corporate media journalist’s to become more sick and more immoral to get a story. I am further backed up by the fact that Lord Wakeham had very seedy connections with corporate media bosses and I am sure if I had placed a complaint, it would have been in the “pending tray” forever. Also Wakeham is involved in the Enron scandal. What hope does an anti-capitalist journalist have when the ex-boss of the PCC loves taking money and directorships like there is no tomorrow..... of getting a fair hearing?
I am sure that the PCC will be informed of this case and will be asked to mediate. Under the wolf press commission rules, I am obliged to do so by setting out the minimum of an out of court settlement. The minimum I will accept is total justice over both charges not just the single charge I can bring.
Personally the PCC should look at the fact that a penniless, a seriously depressed, living in a council flat, having to deal with more problems than he can cope with, being unable to defend himself of being accused of being a terrorist because he does not have £50,000 pounds in his pockets…..and being denied legal aid over the very serious issue of defamation.
I just wish I was a pop star. They seem to get justice or do they buy justice, PCC?
If the PCC is interested in saving its reputation as I heard a few weeks ago, it can approach me to discuss. I will not go to their door because I do not believe I will get a fair hearing or judgement when so much is stacked against me.
My e-mail is :
sky-indymedia@btclick.com background stuff and an account of what happened in Genoa
http://uk.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=7431 the Daily Mail article, plus comments
http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=7604 Guardian Interview
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4229165,00.html the observer the weekend after Genoa
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4230159,00.html Daily Mail responds to IMC plus comments
http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=9671 Undercurrents article of the media coverage of Genoa
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4241829,00.html Lastly, i was told that Lucy Morris received Death threats. i am not sure if they are for real or it is a tactic but i ask all people not to do this because it damages my case. I urge people to think what the celebrations would be like if i can financially hurt the Daily Mail.
i also want the movement to respect my personal human rights when dealing with the Daily Mail. i will hand you the victory that everybody wants, soon.
In solidarity to everyone and thanking you all so far
Marcus Covell
e-mail:
sky-indymedia@btclick.com
Comments
Display the following 3 comments