BEIJING, Oct. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Heather
Mills-McCartney seems determined to prove a "woman's wrath hath no bounds"
by suing two newspapers over "false, damaging and immensely upsetting"
stories about her divorce from Paul McCartney, according to a statement Tuesday
by her lawyers.
The
law firm Mishcon de Reya named the Daily Mail and London's Evening Standard as
the subject of legal proceedings, adding that a suit would also be filed against
The Sun.
"She cannot sue -- for now, at least -- every single
newspaper that has published false, damaging, and immensely upsetting statements
about her. She should not thereby be taken to have accepted that these
statements are true," the statement read.
"She is pursued everywhere she goes. She is stalked
by press photographers, who congregate outside her home and chase after her in
cars -- regardless of her safety or the safety of her daughter," her lawyers
said.
Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily
Mail and the Evening Standard, said the stories about Mills-McCartney in both
papers "were obtained by proper methods and in accordance with good journalistic
practice."
"Our
exclusive stories were extensively followed up in detail by all other newspapers
and media outlets," it said in a statement. The publisher said it would deal
with the legal claim "in the normal way."
The McCartney divorce has become the most
sensational spat since Prince Charles and Princess Diana divorced 10 years
ago, igniting fierce competition in the British press for the latest scoop.
Last week, the Daily Mail ran what appeared to be
legal papers drafted by Mills-McCartney's lawyers that alleged physical and
emotional abuse all over its front page.
Mills-McCartney's
lawyers said British media claims that she had been offered a 56 million U.S.
dollars settlement by her husband were false and "the truth is that no
settlement offer, in any amount, has been made."
Mishcon de Reya also issued a copy of a letter,
apparently from The Mail offering Heather's sister Fiona a "substantial sum" for
information about the divorce.
It said the letter was hand-delivered and promised
anonymity.
"It
requires no imagination to conclude what kind of information was being sought
from our client's closest confidante, nor why the assurance of confidentiality
was believed to be necessary," the statement said. "We ask on behalf of our
client for the media, as a matter of common decency, please now to show some
restraint."
Associated Newspapers said the Mail on Sunday had
been "led to believe that Fiona Mills had important information about this case
and a perfectly proper and courteous approach was made to her."
No mention has yet been made as to whether Sir
McCartney, 64, has been pondering the irony to lyrics from the song "When
I'm Sixty-Four" John Lennon and he co-wrote: "Will you still need me, will you
still feed me, when I'm sixty-four."
(Agencies)
|
