Posted on 04/12/2005 11:45:53 AM PDT by nickcarraway
SAN DIEGO – Bobby Fischer has dropped a federal lawsuit against the U.S. government over what the former chess champion called his illegal nine-month detention in Japan.
The lawsuit was filed March 23, the same day Fischer was released from a Japanese detention center and took up residence in Iceland. The case was voluntarily dismissed Thursday in U.S. District Court in San Diego.
"He wants to get on with his life," Richard J. Vattuone, the attorney who filed the lawsuit told The San Diego Union-Tribune in Tuesday's editions. "He's not interested in any more lawsuits, so that matter is over, dismissed."
Vattuone did not immediately return a message left seeking comment Tuesday.
The 62-year-old Fischer, claimed he was assaulted, battered and routinely held in solitary confinement at an immigration detention facility outside of Tokyo. Japanese authorities arrested Fischer in July for trying to leave the country using an invalid U.S. passport.
Fischer is wanted on charges of violating international sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing chess against Boris Spassky, the Russian he defeated to become world champion in 1972.
According to the lawsuit, Fischer said Edward McKeon, the minister counselor and consul general at the American embassy, "directed the Japanese authorities to detain Fischer under harsh conditions, amounting to torture, until Fischer gave up his legal rights under international U.S. law, and complied with U.S. demands that Fischer agree to be deported."
A federal grand jury in Washington is investigating possible criminal money-laundering charges involving Fischer. He was reported to have received $3.5 million from the 1992 chess match with Spassky in the former Yugoslavia and boasted at the time that he didn't intend to pay any income tax on the money.
Vattuone said he has been retained by the Bobby Fischer Committee, which is seeking to prevent Fischer's appearance in the United States for any future court proceedings.
He probably found out he was going to be assigned a Jewish judge.
***The 62-year-old Fischer, claimed he was assaulted, battered and routinely held in solitary confinement at an immigration detention facility outside of Tokyo.***
Having read some accounts of torture methods the Japs used in WWII, I'd say he's lucky thats all he got, especially considering his praise from the 9/11 attacks.
Anybody got a pic of the old crank?
Bwaaaa, haaaaaa hahaaaa!
No seriously. Thats gotta be Gene Wilder in the remake of "Rain Man."
Thanks Sax.
What business it it of this government to tell people they can't play chess anywhere they darned well please? Free people should be able to go anywhere they want to.
"Having read some accounts of torture methods the Japs used in WWII, I'd say he's lucky thats all he got, especially considering his praise from the 9/11 attacks."
I didn't know anything about his politics, which seem repugnant (if reported accurately) but free speech is meant for people who dissent, not those we agree with.
He can't be all bad - he stalemated the IRS.
*****I didn't know anything about his politics, which seem repugnant (if reported accurately) but free speech is meant for people who dissent, not those we agree with.*****
I didn't say he deserves to be tortured or whatnot, I just said he's lucky they didn't go to work on him. I do not like the man (anymore), especially because of his anti-Semitism and vocal support for terrorists, but I'm not trying to silence him, as you implied.
The liberals are the ones who advocate "free speech...as long as you agree with me." I do not think that way. Sorry you read it as such.
dang. I only read "Chess Legend Bobby Fisher drops..." and was hopeful it would be followed by the word "dead".
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