(2007年4月15日提交美国纽约东区法庭。共同被告饶毅也已提交类似的答复)
新语丝中华文化社通过其代理律师,对原告的诉状答复如下:
一、被告否认原告诉状中标注“1”, “3”, “4”, “17”, “22”
“24” 和“26”的段落里的每一条指控。
二、被告没有足够的了解或信息能够相信原告诉状中标注“2”, “8”,
“9”, “10”, “11”, “12”, “15”,
“16”和“20”的段落的指控的真实性,因此被告加以否认。
三、被告没有足够的了解或信息能够相信原告诉状中标注“5”, “6”,
“7” “18”,
“19”和“21”的段落的指控的真实性,因此被告加以否认,并提请法庭对其中的法律、合同问题进行解释。
四、被告承认原告诉状第13段所说新语丝中华文化社是纽约的非赢利性机构。除此之外,被告否认原告诉状第13段中其他任何一条指控。
五、被告承认原告诉状第14段的指控(即新语丝在2006年9月6日发表饶毅的“意见书”)。
积极抗辩之一
六、涉案陈述(即饶毅的“意见书”)以及本案的主题是受到美国宪法第一修正案和纽约宪法第一条第八款保护的用夸张法修辞的言论。
积极抗辩之二
七、涉案陈述以及本案的主题是受到美国宪法第一修正案和纽约宪法第一条第八款保护的不可控诉的意见。
积极抗辩之三
八、涉案陈述以及本案的主题是基于真实信息或作者和出版者相信是真实的信息。
积极抗辩之四
九、涉案陈述以及本案的主题享有绝对的特权,是在司法程序过程中做出的。
积极抗辩之五
十、涉案陈述是为公众关注的事件而发表的,该发表享有特权。
积极抗辩之六
十一、原告是一名公众人物,而原告的诉状未能确立(被告)怀有恶意,因此必须被驳回。
积极抗辩之七
十二、原告的诉状必须被驳回,因为任何一位理智的人都不会认为涉案陈述以及本案的主题是对事实的诽谤性判断,根据其语境乃是意见、夸张法修辞或讽刺。
积极抗辩之八
十三、原告的诉状必须被驳回,因为本案的唯一目的是为了骚扰被告。
积极抗辩之九
十四、原告的诉状必须被驳回,因为原告未诉诸自助。
积极抗辩之十
十五、原告的诉状必须被驳回,因为它是基于对涉案陈述的错误翻译。见涉案陈述的英文翻译(附件A)。
积极抗辩之十一
十六、原告的诉状必须被驳回,因为原告没有因涉案陈述的发表而遭受名誉损失。
积极抗辩之十二
十七、原告的诉状必须被驳回,因为原告自己发表了一系列的陈述,它们看来是故意要招惹涉案陈述。
积极抗辩之十三
十八、原告诉状未能为其索赔的主张说明依据。
积极抗辩之十四
十九、原告的诉状无效,因为原告本身不清白(unclean
hands)。
积极抗辩之十五
二十、本法庭不具有多地域管辖权。
积极抗辩之十六
二一、本法庭作为审判地不适当。
因此,被告新语丝中华文化社要求法庭判决驳回原告的起诉,并要求(原告支付)因本案引起的费用、支出和律师费以及法庭认为正当的任何进一步赔偿。
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
Civil Action
No: 06-CV-06438
ANSWER TO COMPLAINT
CHUAN-GUO XIAO
Plaintiff )
v.
YI RAO, SHIMIN FANG AND NEW THREADS CHINESE CULTURAL SOCIETY,
INC.
Defendants.
ANSWER TO COMPLAINT
NOW COMES the defendant NEW THREADS CHINESE CULTURAL SOCIETY, INC.
(XYS) by and through its undersigned attorney, and for answer to
the Complaint filed herein, states as follows:
1. Defendant denies each and every allegation set forth in the
Paragraphs of Plaintiff’s Complaint numbered “1”, “3”, “4”,
“17”, “22” “24” and “26”.
2. Defendant is without sufficient knowledge or information to form
a belief as to the truth of the allegations set forth in the
Paragraphs of Plaintiff’s Complaint numbered “2”, “8”, “9”,
“10”, “11”, “12”, “15”, “16” and “20”, therefore,
defendant denies them.
3. Defendant is without sufficient knowledge or information to form
a belief as to the truth of the allegations set forth in the
Paragraphs of Plaintiff’s Complaint numbered “5”, “6”, “7”
“18”, “19” and “21”, therefore, defendant denies them and
refers all issues of law and contract interpretation contained
therein to this Court.
4. Defendant admits in Paragraph “13” of Plaintiff’s Complaint
that NEW THREADS CHINESE CULTURAL SOCIETY, INC. is a New York
non-profit-corporation. Except as expressly admitted herein,
defendant denies each and every other allegation set forth in
Paragraph “13” of Plaintiff’s Complaint.
5. Defendant admits the allegations set forth in Paragraph “14”
of Plaintiff’s Complaint.
AS AND FOR THE FIRST AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
6. The statements at issue and/or the subject of this lawsuit are
hyperbolic speech protected under the First Amendment of the U.S.
Constitution and Article I, § 8 of the New York
Constitution.
AS AND FOR THE SECOND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
7. The statements at issue and/or the subject of this lawsuit are
nonactionable opinion protected under the First Amendment of the
U.S. Constitution and Article I, § 8 of the New York
Constitution.
AS AND FOR THE THIRD AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
8. The statements at issue and/or the subject of this lawsuit were
based on truthful information or information which the author and
the publisher believed to be true.
AS AND FOR THE FOURTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
9. The statements at issue and/or the subject of this lawsuit are
absolutely privileged and were made in the course of judicial
proceeding.
AS AND FOR THE FIFTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
10. The statements at issue were published as a matter of public
concern and the publication are privileged.
AS AND FOR THE SIXTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
11. Plaintiff is a public figure and Plaintiff’s Complaint must be
dismissed for failure to establish malice.
AS AND FOR THE SEVENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
12. Plaintiff’s Complaint must be dismissed because no reasonable
person would regard the statements at issue and/or the subject of
this lawsuit as defamatory assertion of fact, rather than opinion,
hyperbole or parody in the context in which they were made.
AS AND FOR THE EIGHTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
13. Plaintiff’s Complaint must be dismissed as the sole purpose of
this lawsuit is for harassment of the defendants.
AS AND FOR THE NINTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
14. Plaintiff’s Complaint must be dismissed for Plaintiff’s
failure to resort to self-help.
AS AND FOR THE TENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
15. Plaintiff’s Complaint must be dismissed as it was based on
erroneous translation of the statements at issue from its original
language. See the English translation of the statements at issue.
[Exhibit A]
AS AND FOR ELEVENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
16. Plaintiff’s Complaint must be dismissed as Plaintiff suffered
no damage to his reputation from the publication of the statements
at issue.
AS AND FOR THE TWELVETH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
17. Plaintiff’s Complaint must be dismissed as Plaintiff himself
made a series of statements which appeared to intentionally invite
the statements at issue.
AS AND FOR THE THIRTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
18. Plaintiff’s Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief
can be granted.
AS AND FOR THE FOURTHEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
19. Plaintiff’s Complaint fails for unclean hands.
AS AND FOR THE FIFTHEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
20. This Court lacks diversity jurisdiction.
AS AND FOR THE SIXTEENTH AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
21. The venue is improper before this Court.
WHEREFORE, defendant NEW THREADS CHINESE CULTURAL SOCIETY, INC.
(XYS) demands judgment dismissing the Complaint of the Plaintiff,
together with the costs, disbursements, and attorneys’ fees of
this action and any further relief this Court seems just and
proper.
Dated: Flushing, New York
April 15, 2007
Yours etc.
Original Signed by Jenny Zhao
JENNY ZHAO, ESQ
Attorneys for Defendant XYS
36-09 Main St, 9B
Flushing, New York, 11354
(631) 223-6489
TO JAMES B. LEBOW, ESQ.
LAW OFFICES OF JAMES B. LEBOW
Attorney for Plaintiff
Law Offices of James B. LeBow
488 Madison Avenue, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10022
212-868-3311 (Tel)
212-868-3123 (Fax)
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I, the undersigned attorney, do hereby certify that, I served a
copy of the ANSWER TO COMPLAINT to the Attorney of Record for the
Plaintiff by fax and by USPS certified mail, postage prepaid at the
following address:
James B. LeBow
Attorney for Plaintiff CHUAN-GUO XIAO
Law Offices of James B. LeBow
488 Madison Avenue, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10022
Tel: (212) 868-3311
Fax: (212) 868-3123
Date: 4-15-2007
Original Signed by Jenny Zhao
Jenny Zhao, ESQ