A U.S. District Court judge in Washington, D.C., has dismissed the lawsuit filed by Kansas women’s basketball coach Marian Washington and three others.
Judge John H. Pratt ruled Friday that Joseph C. Smith was protected by the First Amendment when he wrote: “Washington usually finds a way to screw things up” in the 1993 issue of “Dick Vitale’s Basketball,” published by Preview Publications.
Washington was suing Vitale, publisher Richard Levy, editor Ken Leiker and Smith for $10 million on grounds of defamation, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of distress.
Washington, who has an unlisted telephone number, was not immediately available for comment. She filed the suit through a Washington, D.C., attorney last fall.
