Human rights activist Ralph Sch nman, a former secretary to Bertrand Russell, won substantial damages and a full apology for defamatory statements in a book by Bryan Magee published by Orion Publishers in London. Sch nman, a resident of San Francisco, is now suing Random House and Magee in the Northern District of California, for disseminating the same material under the Modern Library paperback imprint.
In Confessions of a Philosopher, Magee alleged Sch nman was "like an evil dwarf out of Wagner's Ring" and "an appallingly sinister figure" that had been planted on Russell by the CIA. In London's High Court, Magee and Orion apologized for the false and libelous statements concerning Sch nman and his relationship with Russell, and agreed to destroy all remaining copies. In addition to paying damages of £100,000, the author and publishers agreed to remove all references to Sch nman in future editions released in the U.K. and pay court costs.
In the suit against Random House, Sch nman accuses the publisher of disseminating the book in the U.S. despite its knowledge of the outcome of the British suit. He is suing for $3 million in damages plus court costs.
Noting that neither the plaintiff nor Orion had notified RH of the legal action when it was occuring, A RH spokesperson told PW, "As soon as Modern Library was informed of the action, we stopped distribution and made the editorial changes that were demanded."
