'Globe' weekly accused boy of killing sister
By Lisa Levitt RyckmanDenver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
An attorney for John and Patsy Ramsey has filed two more multimillion-dollar lawsuits that say a book and a supermarket weekly falsely accused 13-year-old Burke Ramsey of molesting and killing his sister, JonBenet. Lin Wood filed the suits in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, against the Globe tabloid and Windsor House Publishing Group, which published the book A Little Girl's Dream? A JonBenet Ramsey Story. "Here's a totally innocent child, there's no evidence to support the speculation, and the speculation is of the worst kind," Wood said Wednesday. "They are accusing him of sexually molesting his sister, mental illness and murder." District Attorney Alex Hunter has cleared Burke Ramsey of involvement in JonBenet's death, but his parents remain suspects. They have denied involvement. Wood has filed five suits on behalf of Burke Ramsey, who was 9 when his 6-year-old sister was beaten and strangled in their Boulder home Dec. 26, 1996. The $35 million lawsuit against Globe International Inc. and Globe Communications Corp. says false headlines and stories in November 1998 subjected Burke Ramsey to public hatred, contempt and ridicule and permanently damaged his reputation. The Globe has been purchased by American Media. An American Media attorney said the lawsuit is the responsibility of Globe International Inc. They could not be reached for comment. The other suit seeks $11.7 million in damages from Windsor House Publishing Group and authors Eleanor Von Duyke and Dwight Wallington. "I guess I'm not shocked. I kind of knew it would be coming," said Von Duyke, a former children's pageant director. "The theory is that Burke did it, and the parents covered up for him. Patsy and John didn't do it. To my grave, that will be my theory. In March, the Ramseys and the Star supermarket weekly reached an out-of-court settlement of a $25 million libel suit brought on Burke Ramsey's behalf. The terms of that settlement were confidential. Wood said he plans to file one or two more lawsuits for Burke Ramsey and then begin filing libel suits for John and Patsy Ramsey. "I have a list," Wood said. "The only person I can say for certainty will be sued is Steve Thomas." Thomas, a former lead detective on the case, has written a book in which he accuses Patsy Ramsey of accidentally killing her daughter over bedwetting and then covering it up. Contact Lisa Levitt Ryckman at (303) 892-2736 or ryckmanl@RockyMountainNews.com. May 11, 2000
An attorney for John and Patsy Ramsey has filed two more multimillion-dollar lawsuits that say a book and a supermarket weekly falsely accused 13-year-old Burke Ramsey of molesting and killing his sister, JonBenet.
Lin Wood filed the suits in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, against the Globe tabloid and Windsor House Publishing Group, which published the book A Little Girl's Dream? A JonBenet Ramsey Story.
"Here's a totally innocent child, there's no evidence to support the speculation, and the speculation is of the worst kind," Wood said Wednesday. "They are accusing him of sexually molesting his sister, mental illness and murder."
District Attorney Alex Hunter has cleared Burke Ramsey of involvement in JonBenet's death, but his parents remain suspects. They have denied involvement.
Wood has filed five suits on behalf of Burke Ramsey, who was 9 when his 6-year-old sister was beaten and strangled in their Boulder home Dec. 26, 1996.
The $35 million lawsuit against Globe International Inc. and Globe Communications Corp. says false headlines and stories in November 1998 subjected Burke Ramsey to public hatred, contempt and ridicule and permanently damaged his reputation.
The Globe has been purchased by American Media. An American Media attorney said the lawsuit is the responsibility of Globe International Inc. They could not be reached for comment.
The other suit seeks $11.7 million in damages from Windsor House Publishing Group and authors Eleanor Von Duyke and Dwight Wallington.
"I guess I'm not shocked. I kind of knew it would be coming," said Von Duyke, a former children's pageant director. "The theory is that Burke did it, and the parents covered up for him. Patsy and John didn't do it. To my grave, that will be my theory.
In March, the Ramseys and the Star supermarket weekly reached an out-of-court settlement of a $25 million libel suit brought on Burke Ramsey's behalf. The terms of that settlement were confidential.
Wood said he plans to file one or two more lawsuits for Burke Ramsey and then begin filing libel suits for John and Patsy Ramsey.
"I have a list," Wood said. "The only person I can say for certainty will be sued is Steve Thomas."
Thomas, a former lead detective on the case, has written a book in which he accuses Patsy Ramsey of accidentally killing her daughter over bedwetting and then covering it up.
Contact Lisa Levitt Ryckman at (303) 892-2736 or ryckmanl@RockyMountainNews.com.
May 11, 2000
