AKRON BEACON JOURNAL WINS LAWSUIT

By: Staff Report Police Chief Loses In Attempt To Quash Inquiry



The Akron Beacon Journal yesterday won a privacy lawsuit that Akron Police Chief Edward
Irvine and his wife filed after the paper inquired if Irvine abused his wife, The
Associated Press reported.


Edward Gilbert, lawyer for Chief Irvine, said the newspaper harassed his clients by
repeatedly trying to get Mrs. Irvine to talk and by repeatedly placing telemarketing calls
to the couple through spring and summer of last year.


The newspaper argued the lawsuit was an attempt to quash the inquiry which, reportedly,
was based on allegations Geneva Irvine made twice but retracted both times.


The jury rejected the invasion-of-privacy allegations, but Common Pleas Judge Brenda Burnham
Unruh ordered jurors to further deliberate on whether the newspaper's telemarketing department

had harassed Chief Irvine and his wife, Geneva, with automated calls.


The Irvines were seeking $8 million in damages.


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Staff reports













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