According to the suit, Tom claims the mags' headlines are FALSE -- insisting, he "loves his daughter dearly and would never abandon her."
Tom is suing for $50 million plus punitive damages for defamation and invasion of privacy.
In Touch and Life & Style are sister magazines owned by the same publishing company Bauer Publishing.
Cruise's lawyer, Bert Fields says:
"Tom is a caring father who dearly loves Suri. She's a vital part of his life and always will be. To say he has 'abandoned' her is a vicious lie. To say it in lurid headlines with a tearful picture of Suri is reprehensible."
Fields goes on: "Tom doesn't go around suing people. He's not a litigious guy. But when these sleaze peddlers try to make money with disgusting lies about his relationship with his child, you bet he's going to sue."
Fields goes on to bash the mags, saying, "These serial defamers are foreign owned companies with their global headquarters in Hamburg. They take money from unsuspecting Americans by selling their malicious garbage. Having to pay a libel judgment may slow them down."
Fields says any money Tom gets from the mags will go to charity
this is my comment about this on Tony Ortega's blog..... loads of great discussion going on link
DESPERATE TACTIC OF A DESPERATE MAN.
I think this is going to blow-up in Cruise’s face big-time and is a major mistake move by his PR machine…. I feel he was put up to this as some kind of positive spin/damage limitation before his Reacher movie premiere. I get the idea that he/they somehow regard the success of this movie as crucial to his standing in Hollywood and poor opening night figures would put an end to his leading man status. This was plain to see in the ridiculous blanket coverage the non-story of “Tom Cruise considering leaving scientology”…. I’ve never seen such a story reach outlets from India, New Zealand, to even The Philippines so simultaneously – 100% PR guff, guaranteed!! I made a point of saying this on as many of these sites as I could.
So, BANG… PR ActII – “Katie Holmes considering taking Cruise back if he gives up scientology” …. what’s interesting here is that only a few sites bothered to print this but it did reach India, New Zealand outlets again…. We now have a PR company head realising that the last bit of damage control (distance their client from the cult – make him appear normal) didn’t work….. You now start panicking and for some godforsaken reason you think suing an obscure tabloid for saying he’s abandoning his kid is a good idea.
But, boy – they didn’t think this one through at all!
I mentioned the dreaded D word on TMZ as soon as the post hit the net…. yes DISCONNECTION!!
All the tabloids lawyers have to do is to keep bringing that word…. I mean there’s so much bloody proof out there of parents being disconnected from their children that Bert Fields would start eating his own ass before he could legitimately deny this policy didn’t exist.
They could argue that it is in fact church policy and Cruise, as the No 2 leader of the cult, is only following the rules. We have another delightful damned if one does, damned if one doesn’t situation.
If he says he hasn’t abandoned Suri then they can say he no longer follows scientology as that is what he was supposed to do and they were only reporting well documented church doctrine. So what is it Mr Cruise, are we reporting you following standard church policy or not?
If he denies such a disconnection policy exists [probably crucial to even considering winning this] then their lawyers can call upon dozens of witnesses who can attest to the fact it does! [see the Tommy David video proof in above comments].
It’s a WIN-WIN for the tabloid and a LOSE-LOSE for the church.
As I said – they didn’t think this one through and this a major FUCK-UP by Cruise.
…. and just imagine all the other tabloids frothing at the mouth for another cult bashing…. they’re starting to get quite good at it now!
Tom Cruise launches $50m law suit against Life&Style magazine over story claiming he has 'abandoned' daughter Suri
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Tom Cruise has filed a $50million defamation lawsuit against the publishers of Life&Style magazine for articles that said the actor has abandoned his six-year-old daughter, Suri.
The actor's attorney, Bert Fields, said to falsely claim the actor deserted his daughter is a 'vicious lie'.
He said: 'Tom is a caring father who dearly loves Suri. She's a vital part of his life and always will be,' Fields said.
Making a splash: Tom Cruise and Suri oh holiday in Florida in August, the last time they were pictured together
'To say it in lurid headlines with a tearful picture of Suri is reprehensible.'
The lawsuit was filed in a Los Angeles federal court.
An email message left for a spokeswoman for Bauer Publishing, which produces Life & Style, was not immediately returned.
Cruise and Suri's mother, Katie Holmes, divorced earlier this year.
They had been married for six years. The breakup has been tabloid fodder, and Suri often appears in entertainment magazines.
Up bright and early: The six-year-old seen this week with mother Katie Holmes on her way to school in New York
Cruise doesn't like to file lawsuits but felt it was appropriate because 'sleaze peddlers' are trying to make money about the actor's relationship with his daughter, Fields said.
'These serial defamers are foreign-owned companies with their global headquarters in Hamburg,' Fields said.
'They take money from unsuspecting Americans by selling their malicious garbage. Having to pay a libel judgment may slow them down.'
If Cruise prevails, Fields said his client would give the money to charity.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2222658/Tom-Cruise-launches-50m-law-suit-Life-amp-Style-magazine-story-claiming-abandoned-daughter-Suri.html#ixzz2AH0igxpx
