Simon Singh is vindicated in libel suit

[shadron]

The British Chiropractic Association has withdrawn their suit of Simon Singh, who's article in a British newspaper was targeted by the BCA in a libel lawsuit. This has been done to death in the two years the suit has been active in the British Chiropractic Association vs Simon Singh thread in the SMMT forum, but just to raise the good news to those who haven't been following, I'll mention it here as well.

In effect, Singh has won the case, and may very well win from the BCA his court costs, which have exceeded £200,000.

 

[dudalb]

Best outcome to a libel case in the UK since David Irving got his head handed to him on a platter by the court.....

 

[Questioninggeller]

Even though he won, he still lost:

Science writer Simon Singh wins bitter libel battle
April 16, 2010
The Times

The science writer Simon Singh stands to lose £60,000 in legal costs despite winning a case against chiropractors who sued him for libel over his criticism of their medical claims.

The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) dropped its action against the journalist yesterday after a Court of Appeal ruling two weeks ago found that Dr Singh’s “honest opinion” was entitled to a fair comment defence. The judgment noted that: “Scientific controversies must be settled by the methods of science rather than by the methods of litigation.”

The BCA had sued Dr Singh for libel over a newspaper article in which he alleged that the organisation promoted “bogus treatments”, such as chiropractic for childhood asthma and colic, that were not supported by evidence.

Although Dr Singh’s lawyers will pursue the BCA for costs, he is likely to recover only 70 per cent of the £200,000 he has spent on defending himself.
...

Full: The Times

 

[George 152]

He -should- go for costs. That will have the BCA running for cover and any other group of flakes will take it as a warning that claiming libel (when there was none) is a costly business

 

[shadron]

Even though he won, he still lost:



Full: The Times

According to what I hear, it may be that the difference is costs that the BCA cannot cover due to bankruptcy. If that's the case, I hope he is open to accepting some donors in the spirit of a shared cost-of-making-progress. He has refused donors up to this point.