CANADA
The Globe and Mail
SUNNY DHILLON
VANCOUVER — The Globe and Mail
Published Tuesday, Jun. 16, 2015
A freelance journalist who is suing former Vancouver Olympics CEO John Furlong for defamation says she was shocked when he accused her of shoddy reporting, implied she tried to extort money from him, and said she had a vendetta, she testified Tuesday.
Laura Robinson wrote an article for the Georgia Straight, a weekly newspaper, in September, 2012, in which eight former students of Mr. Furlong’s alleged he physically abused them. The allegations stemmed from Mr. Furlong’s time as a physical-education instructor at Immaculata Roman Catholic Elementary School in Burns Lake, B.C., in 1969-70.
Mr. Furlong held a news conference the day the story was published, denying the allegations and criticizing Ms. Robinson, who later sued Mr. Furlong for defamation.
Ms. Robinson testified that as she prepared her story, Mr. Furlong had many opportunities to respond to her questions through his lawyer. She said she also approached Mr. Furlong in person in April, 2011, and August, 2011. The first time, she said, Mr. Furlong told her to “stop it” as she asked questions and he walked away.
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