Pubdate: Mon, 15 Dec 2003
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)
591a0700087.html:
Copyright: 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Contact:  http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/28
Author: Bill Rankin

BRITISH LORD SUES EX-U.S. DRUG AGENT

A member of Britain's House of Lords has filed a $1 million federal lawsuit 
in Atlanta against a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration 
intelligence analyst.

The lawsuit was filed by Michael Ashcroft, who was once treasurer of 
Britain's Tory Party. He sued Jonathan Randel, who once worked in Atlanta 
and pleaded guilty to illegally selling agency information to The Times of 
London. In a series of stories in July 1999, the British newspaper falsely 
implied Ashcroft was the target of DEA investigations into drug 
trafficking, the lawsuit said.

Ashcroft sued The Times for libel. In December 1999, the newspaper 
published a front-page correction. In January, Randel was sentenced in 
federal court in Atlanta to one year in prison for illegally selling the 
restricted information.

Because of Randel's actions, the lawsuit said, Ashcroft "has suffered 
monetary losses as a result of extensive legal fees incurred in defending 
his general and professional reputation, and he has been caused personal 
embarrassment and disruption of his life and work."
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