[rec.radio.scanners]
From: Brian Gould                                      Posted: 29 Aug 96  
4:1
To  : All
Subj: [Fwd: ]
From: Brian Gould 
Subject: [Fwd: ]
Organization: Scan Colorado! rocky Mountain Monitoring Net
From: ussn@pacifier.com (Bob Gheri)
Hopefully this will answer your questions.
You should also know that we offered to let Peter restart scan-l on
pacifiers server and he sead that at the time he was didn't wish to at this
time. We left the offer on the table and he or anyone else may do so any 
me.
Below is a copy of the letter that was sent to ALL of the involved parties.
Their is no law-sute only a request for retractions.
============================================================================
===================
GRANT & LENNEBERG
Attorneys at Law
The Gadsby House
1205 NW 25th Avenue
Portland, Oregon  97210-2497
TELEPHONE:  (503) 222-7343
FAX:  (503) 417-1128
Richard L. Grant*
Roger A. Lenneberg*
Howard M. Dupuy, Jr. Retired
*Also admitted in Washington
Mr. Larry Van HornFACSIMILE NO. (704) 837-2216
Satellite Times Editor
300 South Highway 64 West
Brasstown, NC  28902-0098
University of ArkansasFACSIMILE NO. (501) 575-5046
General Council
Administration Building 421
Fayetteville, AR  72701
Mr. Robert GroveFACSIMILE NO. (704) 837-2216
300 South Highway 64 West
Brasstown, NC  28902-0098
Mr. Peter Laws
1800 West Robinson
Apartment C
Norman, OK  73069-7317
 Re: Our Client:
 U.S. Scanner Publications
  Matter:
 Defamatory statements posted on Internet by Larry Van Horn
and republished by Scan-L
Gentlemen:
 This firm represents U.S. Scanner Publications in connection with defamatory 
statements posted by Larry Van Horn on the Grove Net Internet as "ST Editor" 
for Satellite Times. On August 18, 1996, Mr. Van Horn wrote an extensive 
letter and posted it to "scanner user groups" regarding the affiliation 
between USSN and RCMA Scanner Publications and the relationship between USSN 
and its writing staff.  The letter also incorrectly described relations among 
USSN and its subscribers.
Enclosed are copies of a portion of the Internet correspondence, including
the original posting to which I make reference.
 The statements regarding the treatment of subscribers by U.S. Scanner
Publications are entirely false.  Mr. Van Horn states that prior 
subscriptions to USSN were not honored when it was acquired by U.S. Scanner 
Publications. In fact, the opposite is true.  All subscriptions to USSN were 
honored in full, plus two issues were added.
 Mr. Van Horn also states that the writers groups for USSN had been fired or, 
alternatively, were on strike.  Again, this is entirely false.  When U.S. 
Scanner Publications recognized it was unable to pay outstanding obligations 
to its writers, it promptly informed the writers groups that it was unable to 
pay for services rendered but fully intended to pay all fees owed as soon
as possible.  Copies of the correspondence relating to the relations between
writers for USSN and the RCMA group are enclosed.
 Unfortunately, the defamatory statements by Mr. Van Horn were republished by 
the net commonly known as Scan-L.  A republisher of defamatory statements is 
equally liable with the original party, and we believe the law would support 
claims against Peter Laws, the individual responsible for posting the 
defamatory statements on the Scan-L net as well as Arkansas.  These legal
obligations also extend to the "Grove Net" as well as Mr. Van Horn 
rsonally.
 The defamatory statements have resulted in a significant number of calls to
U.S. Scanner Publications as well as an ever growing number of individuals 
who are calling to indicate that they will not subscribe until there is some 
assurance that their subscriptions will be honored and value received in the 
form of publications.
 WE DEMAND that each of the individuals and organizations named above 
immediately place full-page ads in U.S. Scanner News Magazine, Monitoring 
Times and Satellite Times specifically retracting the defamatory statements 
regarding treatment of staff writers, the characterization of subsequent 
writers as scabs and the false claim that subscriptions were not honored when 
U.S. Scanner Publications took over U.S. Scanner News Magazine.  The ad 
hould
also specifically state that no writers were fired and U.S. Scanner 
Publications has committed itself to paying all writers for services rendered 
when financially possible.
 We also require that each of the "nets" involved publish on their home page, 
as well as on all user group forums, specific statements retracting all of 
the defamatory statements referenced above and encouraging any interested 
party in contacting each of you to confirm that the original statements 
published on the Internet were false and without factual basis.
 Although we demand retractions to mitigate the potential damages to U.S. 
Scanner Publications, we are not waiving any claims for damages.  We are in 
the process of determining the scope of damages and will advise you 
immediately once we have made an accurate determination of the amount, if 
any, of ultimate financial injury.
 Do not underestimate the seriousness of my client's demands. The unilateral
action taken by Mr. Van Horn has and will continue to have adverse financial 
impact on U.S. Scanner Publications.  It is both outrageous and irresponsible 
that such information could be distributed so freely with the knowledge of 
the potential harm.  We fully intend to proceed with all of our legal 
emedies
but believe it is in your best interest to publish retractions promptly.
Please deliver copies of the retractions so we may review them first to 
ensure they do not contain additional false statements.
 Very truly yours,
 Roger A. Lenneberg
RAL/kkf
Enclosure
GRANT & LENNEBERG
=================================================================
          RE: U.S. SCANNER NEWS AND THE RCMA SCANNER JOURNAL
There is a lot of misunderstanding as to the future of the RCMA  Scanner
Journal. I hope this letter will clear matters up.
We intend to keep the same format, with the exception that there will be no
Regional Editors only State Editors. There will be a separate section in
U.S.  Scanner News for The Scanner Journal.
The RCMA membership list will continue to be kept in a separate database
and will not be made available to anyone, no exception. New subscribers will
have the opportunity to indicate if they wish to be RCMA members so they can
have an RCMA membership number or U.S. Scanner News subscribers. None of the
U.S. Scanner News writers will be replaced by RCMA writers.  The two
publications are separate and will be treated as such. Any rumors to the
contrary are just that.
Our agreement with RCMA was to honor all the outstanding subscriptions.  The
cost to us for including The Scanner Journal in U.S. Scanner News will be
minimal since we will replace the 12 to 14 page Frequency Forum with The
Journal. The cost of the additional mailing will hopefully be offset by the
extra  renewals we will receive.
A number of entities had expressed interest in RCMA but it was apparent that
all they wanted was the mailing list. We were told we were the only ones
committed to continuing The RCMA Scanner Journal in its original format.
It is our hope that the RCMA membership would like to see their magazine
continued and we feel U.S. Scanner News is the best platform for this
purpose.  This will expose The Scanner Journal to over 9,000 new readers
generating a  new influx of members.
Much has been knocked around about this merger. Our intent was to continue
The Scanner Journal and in time bring it back as its own magazine. To help
preserve the club we asked RCMA writers to continue providing material as
before. Perhaps we were not clear enough and I hope you can now see our
intentions.
Thank you for continuing to support RCMA.
Bob Gehri, WA-007
Editor
Bob Gehri
ussn@pacifier.com
U.S. Scanner Publications
P.O. Box 14923
Portland, OR  97293
1-800-890-6999
... Sam! I'm leaping!
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