We have become the subjects of vicious lies by several individuals in regards to our book. A few people have not known where to draw the line and there is definitely a difference between not liking or not believing a book and being called the terrible, untrue things that Dennis and I have been subject to, names such as drunken bum, druggie, low-life, lazy, jobless, profiteer, liar, pig, scum, and also having our motives questioned, as far as causing us to appear selfish opportunists if we do not donate our incomes to charities when these people have no clue about our donations or expenditures. We made every effort to prove the validity of our work, down to a certified polygraph.
We have families and friends, too, not to mention the people who might've been willing to believe us if not for the damaging, false statements written about us. Damaging, FALSE statements can cost the people who make them. Damaging TRUE statements are another matter, and because the information in our book is true, we are not breaking libel laws for its contents.
Hate my book all you want for whatever reason you want but when you cross the line and want to get personal in writing, we will draw the line for you. I'm not a "pig" for posting a photograph Dennis Davern took. I haven't written lies so that I can "get a book published for profit." There is no "back-story" to my brief association with a TV reporter.
The area of law most implicated by this type of conduct is "defamation of character," a cause of action which is generally defined to include "libel" and slander" and defamation is defined as the (public) issuance of a false statement about another person, which causes that person to suffer harm, mentally, reputation-wise, or financially. Libel involves the making of defamatory statements in a printed or fixed medium, such as a magazine or newspaper, and now the Internet, even though content is removable, can be considered a means to damage. If you think you can get around these laws with "tricky wording," you can't. What you say about another must be true or you can be held accountable for it. It's why I painstakingly stuck to facts with GNGS. What we have written in our book is NOT libelous because the information is based on the experience of Dennis Davern and presents documented information and every effort to support the information presented. We have told nothing but truth, therefore our information cannot be considered "vicious lies" within the system, and no Internet commentator has the right to accuse us otherwise. If TRUTH causes harm to a person's reputation that is one thing, but if LIES cause damage to a person, that is LIBELOUS.
It's why the person some of you defend is not defending himself against our book and if that isn't an eye-opener to those relentless few of you who won't let up on us.
We told a solid, supported story that we experienced and we followed rules, regulations, and LAWS. Our publisher required it. Apparently, some publishers don't require it.
Typically, the elements of a cause of action for defamation include: A false and defamatory statement concerning another (none of which WE are guilty of). If certain people refuse to follow laws, we guarantee we will no longer tolerate the defamatory statements being written about us.
"Truth is its own defense."
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Hi, Marti:
ReplyDeleteEXCELLENT! I'm so glad to see this. And as I read it, I am picturing cockroaches scurrying as lights are turned on.
Why does the truth scare some people so much? Why are they so invested in defending someone they've never met but THINK they know only because he played a rich, suave jetsetter?
As you noted, it is extremely telling that Wagner has not made a peep about the material in your book. If ANY of it were not true, he wouldn't have wasted any time in getting his lawyers after you and Dennis.
The truth cannot be defended against. His empire of lies cannot refute the truth in your book. His empire is crumbling.
Thank you--again--for all of your work for Natalie. I am so grateful!
Marianne, thank you for your comment. It means so much. I will not cower from or defend the truth I've presented in GNGS, and with respect to Natalie, I stand behind every word. I am proud of all the work I put into the true and accurate account we presented.
ReplyDeletePeople can have opinions about the content but they cannot legally have opinions without backing that Dennis and I are all those terrible things we've been called. Libel is libel even if couched in "my opinion" -- you can't say someone is an opportunist drunk druggie by "opinion" -- you better have evidence of it! Dennis and I do not present "opinions" -- we present his experience, and my research and interviews.
I truly am okay with hearing someone say the book is boring (convoluted details can get tedious) but to call Dennis a drunken, drugged liar is something that will not be tolerated any longer.
Thank you for caring about this story.
Good for you, Marti. It's about time. Most of these people are uninformed twits with too much time on their hands. They make statements that have no basis in fact. This is all done in the name of Robert Wagner. He's a big boy, he can take care of himself. He has a full legal staff and a full PR staff yet he says nothing. They should think about that.
ReplyDeleteIr Mr. Wagner wants to file a suit against us for the information in our book we will deal with that. We are not going to deal with uninformed people attacking us for writing an honest book.
ReplyDeleteHi, Marti:
ReplyDeleteWagner cannot and will not file suit against you because you have told the truth. If I lost my beloved spouse in a horrible way and someone wrote something that was not true, I would waste no time in trying to correct it.
Wagner bragged about making sure that the photographer who took unflattering pictures of his frail friend, David Niven, was unable to work for "a very long time." What did he do, break the person's limbs? He leaves that to speculation, but he wrote that in his own book! WHO does something like that and then brags about it?
Yet, he does not make any effort AT ALL to have Natalie's death investigated. He doesn't ask Wayne and Payne what they heard that night. (No, Wayne only receives threats, not inquiries.) He doesn't have a single comment about your book. And he hasn't taken any legal action at all against it--he was able to take action against that photographer but he can't defend himself. There IS no defense for him.
When Suzanne Finstad and Lana Wood were producing the ABC movie "The Mystery of Natalie Wood" their production was held up by many letters from Wagner's attorney's who were fighting the use of the argument in the stateroom. That's because, although the stateroom argument is true, it wasn't told by Dennis to Finstad. It was used by Finstad through Lana. Now that it's told by Dennis who actually witnessed it, there's silence.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading what Wagner and his friends did to that Niven photographer, I don't think there's a sensible person alive who would blame me for wondering what more he's capable of. That little anecdote of his is terribly frightening, especially the WAY it is told with a complex humorous malice present ... you can almost sense the devilish smile attached. Sure, some people might think it's cute, but it's violent. We don't know what "took care of" actually means, do we?
As Marilyn Wayne thought it smart to contact an attorney after receiving threats, we feel it's equally important.
Marti,
ReplyDeleteThe part in his book that had me shaking my head in deisbelief is the "my cock is frozen" chapter where David Niven thaws his penis in a glass of brandy while Wagner watches and laughs. No two men go to the rest room together for one to dip his penis in brandy while the other watches and laughs. Brandy would not thaw or warm a penis to begin with, and there's only one other reason I can think of for flavoring-up your penis. (ugh!)
Celebrities or not, it's too weird. I can't understand it. Something like that doesn't happen between two men even if drunk, and if it does, you don't go telling about it. It's not funny, it's definitely a "you had to be there" thing and it's completely bizarre. Who does this guy think he is? I thought his book was tolerable up until that that little icky story. It made me realize how sickening his entire book is.
LMAO, now one of the people who labeled Dennis as a drunk and a bum and speaking in the present tense, is now saying that she made the statement that Dennis WAS a drunk, that she does not know if he is a still a drunk. Talk about back peddling. These people are all big beans until someone mentions libel, all of a sudden they change their tone.
ReplyDeleteYes--like cockroaches scurrying as the lights are turned on.
ReplyDeleteMarti, are these vicious people harrassing you? I assume so since you say they are not letting up. There is really no need for that kind of behavior. It is one thing to make a disagreeing comment or 2 but to get all dirtypool about it is pretty classless. Just ignore the foolishness and go about your business. Take care! :)
ReplyDelete