Defendants in federal court in Montana are now seeking dismissal of a purported class action on behalf of readers disappointed by author Greg Mortenson’s exaggerations and embroiderings. As in the earlier (and successful) James Frey episode, lawyers are arguing that consumers should be awarded refunds for their purchases of the flawed memoir. [AP/Washington Post] Earlier here, etc.
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Unfortunately for Larry Drury and Alexander Blewett, the opportunistic litigation lawyers, federal Judge Sam Haddon has ruled that the James Frey case is not applicable to Mortenson’s case, and tossed and admonished the plaintiff’s attorneys for even trying to compare the cases.
In Frey’s case, the case actually never was deliberated by a judge, or never was heard in a courtroom, or never went to trial as there was a quick settlement. The judge in the James Frey case, also ruled that the settlement would not have any bearing or prescient on future cases.
Larry Drury, the attorney from Chicago who filed the lawsuit against James Frey, received over $ 780,000 in the settlement (legal fees), and three charities were given a total of $ 230,000, and the sad, disgruntled readers who wanted compensation for the harm caused them from reading a fictitious book received only a whopping $ 22,000 combined in refunds (split amongst a few hundred people out of three million total sales). As this website is all about, it was all about money for the attorneys.
The Mortenson lawsuit began a year ago, after a combined attack by CBS 60 Minutes, Byliner.com to launch a new brand to compete with the publishing industry, and Jon Krakauer’s jealousy of Greg Mortenson. The only winner are the attorneys and their pocketbooks.
Even if Mortenson and Penguin’s lawyers do not cite the inaccuries in TCDeceit, it claims there were few if any schools built. According to http://www.ikat.org, major projects report, which was independently verified the CAI has buildt and/or supports over 250 schools, including the school on the cover of TCD book. Krakauer claimed GM used the P4P fund as his “personal ATM” not true, P4P has always been a dedicated fund used only for schools. JK claimed GM’s kidnapping was a lie. GM never said Mansur Mahsud kidnapped him. It was Mahsud’s uncle Naimut Gul Mahsud, who Mortenson paid to take him to the village. Gul did not accompany him, he sent him with men, who took his money, his passport and put a bag over his head. When the local officials found out there were hiding a foreigner they came to the village, and all of a suddent, GM is now their honored guest.
Naimat Gul is currently a fugative from justice. He broke out of a Peshwar prison hospital 7 months before he met Mortenson. He was in prison for kidnapping a small girl.
If GM is a liar, Krakauer is the bigger liar, who is also a competing author who sits on the board of a competing charity.
This isn’t about books, this is about egos of authors.