Mykonos Owner Scores Big Defamation Verdict Against Maryland Paper!

We previously covered this case of alleged mistaken identity involving a Baltimore newspaper, a federal fugitive, and a different person with the same name who also happens to be the owner of Mykonos restaurant.

Well apparently after having the case transferred from Judge Gold to Judge Motz(!) in Maryland, the newspaper was unable to make this case go away quietly and they actually tried this thing before a jury.

Question -- how much money was spent having GT brief the venue motion?  To what end?  The newspaper was afraid of Judge Gold?  Did the newspaper mistakenly believe they would be held in higher regard by a jury of their readers (big mistake)?  Was it just to make Joel travel to Maryland all the time?

In any event, kudos to Joel and his client for scoring a decisive victory -- though it is a newspaper we're talking about, I hope they're collectable!

In other news, we received word from our friend and former DBR reporter Billy Shields -- famously immortalized by the Beatles in the opening line to "With a Little Help From My Friends" --- that he is doing well and currently on assignment in the Great White North.

That means of course Billy is now writing about things of intense interest to our Canuckian neighbors, such as walrus tusks, William Shatner, exactly how much gravy to place on french fries, and oh yeah -- Chris Leak?