Word: westmorelands
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...retired general held his head high for the 200 reporters and photographers at his press conference at Manhattan's Harley Hotel last week. Pale and tired-looking but firm of voice, he claimed victory in his $120 million libel suit against CBS. Although William Westmoreland had withdrawn his case and had won no money, no vindication by a jury and no retraction, he said that a joint statement issued by him and the network had provided the affirmation of his honor that he had sought. The statement said, in part, "CBS respects General Westmoreland's long and faithful service...
...trial has been under way since October. In order to win the suit, Westmoreland, as a public figure, must prove that the network either knew what it said about him was false, or acted in "reckless disregard" of evidence indicating that it was false. Westmoreland's lawyers, who finished presenting their evidence in early January, tried to establish that CBS had selectively quoted from some interviews to make them sound more damning and edited out others that benefited his side. CBS, in almost five weeks of subsequent testimony, has attempted both to back up the substance of the documentary...
McChristian's testimony was among the most dramatic of the trial. He not only attributed to Westmoreland the "political bombshell" phrase, which the commander testified he had never spoken, but also rejected Westmoreland's claim to have disputed the cable on substantive grounds. Said McChristian: "He had the right to question the intelligence, but this isn't what happened at that meeting...
...network brought to the stand Producer George Crile, a co-defendant who had previously been called as a "hostile witness" by Westmoreland's lawyers. Crile asserted last week that he believed Westmoreland had suppressed intelligence estimates for "political reasons," and that he doubted Westmoreland had been "forthright and straight with us" when interviewed in 1981 for the CBS show. Crile's new testimony was offered as proof of his "state of mind," that is, his belief that the assertions of the documentary were true...
...week-old trial has worn down several of those involved. Westmoreland, 70, and CBS News Correspondent Mike Wallace, 66, the show's lead interviewer, have required medical treatment for trial- or tension-related ailments. But the end is in sight. Judge Pierre Leval allotted each side 150 hours to make its case: Westmoreland has used about 140, CBS about 130. CBS Attorney Boies says that he anticipates calling only a few more witnesses. Among them: Wallace, who is more accustomed to asking questions than answering them...