Dr. Stephen Barrett of Quackwatch Exposed In Court Cases

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Dr. Stephen Barrett of Quackwatch Exposed In Court Cases

_http://www.canlyme.com/quackwatch.html_

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At trial, under a heated cross-examination by Negrete, Barrett conceded that

he was not a Medical Board Certified psychiatrist because he had failed the

certification exam.

 

This was a major revelation since Barrett had provided supposed expert

testimony as a psychiatrist and had testified in numerous court cases. Barrett

also had said that he was a legal expert even though he had no formal legal

training.

 

The most damning testimony before the jury, under the intense

cross-examination by Negrete, was that Barrett had filed similar defamation

lawsuits

against almost 40 people across the country within the past few years and had

not

won one single one at trial.

 

During the course of his examination, Barrett also had to concede his ties

to the AMA, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food & Drug Administration

(FDA).

 

P R E S S R E L E A S E

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

October 13, 2005

 

Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania

 

Court Case: Stephen Barrett, M.D. vs. Tedd Koren, D.C. and Koren

Publications, Inc.

Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County for the State of Pennsylvania

Court Case No.: 2002-C-1837

Contact: Carlos F. Negrete

LAW OFFICES OF CARLOS F. NEGRETE

San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Phone: 949.493.8115

Fax: 949.493.8170

email: mediarelations

mediarelations

URL: www.healthfreedomlaw.com

www.negretelaw.com

 

Dr. Tedd Koren, DC.

Phone: 800.537.3001

267.498.0071 Fax: 267.498.0078

URL: www.korenpublications.com

 

Quackwatch Founder Stephen Barrett loses Major Defamation trial in

Hometown

 

In a stunning development, Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania Judge J. Brian Johnson

on Thursday, October 13, 2005, tossed out nationally known self-proclaimed ‘

consumer medical advocate’ Stephen Barrett’s defamation lawsuit just

minutes

before it was going to be considered by a local jury.

 

The lawsuit, filed in August 2002, against also nationally known

Pennsylvania chiropractor, lecturer, researcher and publisher, Stephen Barrett

sought

unspecified damages against Koren and his company, Koren Publications, Inc. for

statements that he wrote in his newsletter in 2001 about Barrett.

 

Barrett, a long-time nemesis of chiropractic, filed the lawsuit because of

Koren’s publication that Barrett was ‘licensed’ and in trouble because of

a

$10 million lawsuit and because Barrett was called a ‘Quackpot’.

 

In his defense, Koren contended that the statements were true and not

defamatory and that he had a First Amendment right to write them in his

newsletter.

 

Thursday’s ruling by Judge Johnson represented a major reversal of the

finding of an arbitration in August 2004 wherein a panel of three local private

attorneys reviewing the case had found in favor of Barrett and awarded Barrett

$16,500 in damages and that Koren should publish a retraction. That award was

appealed by Koren.

 

Dr. Koren was represented by well-known health freedom San Juan Capistrano,

California, attorney Carlos F. Negrete for trial and Washington, D.C.

attorney James Turner of Swankin & Turner. Easton, Pennsylvania attorney

Christopher

Reid of Laub, Seidel, Cohen, Hof & Reid served as local counsel for the team

and was co-counsel for the trial along with Negrete.

 

Turner and Negrete have been well known for their representation of clients

in the health food, supplement and vitamin industries as well as representing

naturopaths, nurses, dentists, physicians, chiropractors and complimentary

therapists across the country.

 

Turner’s experience dates back the 1960s when he joined consumer advocate

Ralph Nader and was one of the groundbreaking Nader’s Raiders that made

consumer advocacy popular and brought about significant changes in

manufacturing and

consumer protection.

 

In making the ruling to throw out the case, Judge Johnson granted a rare

directed verdict to the jury finding there was insufficient evidence to support

Barrett’s claims. Judge Johnson indicated that this case was one of those

rare times where such a motion was appropriate.

 

Barrett operates the web site www.quackwatch.org , www.chirobase.org and 20

other web sites and has been a long time critic of chiropractic calling much

of it " quackery " .

 

The victory to chiropractor Koren comes almost 18 years to the date that

chiropractors received national attention with their victory against the

American Medical Association (AMA) by obtaining an injunction against the AMA

from

an Illinois federal judge for engaging in illegal boycotting of doctors

chiropractic in Wilk et al vs. AMA.

 

Barrett had been an outspoken supporter of the AMA at the same time that

Koren had been a vocal advocate that the AMA has, in recent years, violated the

spirit of the federal judge’s order.

 

After the ruling, Koren proclaimed that: I am overjoyed and enthusiastic

that this nightmare is over and that the science, art and philosophy of

chiropractic and the work of all of my colleagues have been vindicated.

 

“This case took a toll on my life and family, but I knew that I was right in

publishing the truth.â€

 

Dr. Barrett has no right to misinform the public about chiropractic and

other natural healing arts or to try to silence anyone who criticizes him or

tell

consumers that he is not what he purports to be.

 

“I believe that it is not right to be silent when there is a duty to inform

the public and let the truth be told.â€

 

For years, Barrett has touted himself as a medical expert on ‘quackery’ in

healthcare and has assisted in dozens of court cases as an expert. He also

was called upon by the FDA, FTC and other governmental agencies for his

purported expertise.

 

He was the subject of many magazine interviews, including Time Magazine and

featured on television interviews on ABC’s 20/20, NBC’s Today Show and PBS.

 

He has gained media fame by his outspoken vocal disgust and impatience over

natural or non-medical healthcare, including his criticisms of two time Nobel

Prize winner Linus Pauling.

 

Dr. Tedd Koren is known for his writings and lectures on chiropractic

science, research, philosophy, and chiropractic patient adjusting.

 

He is known for his Koren Publications chiropractic patient education

brochures, posters, booklets, books and other products that are used in

chiropractors’ offices throughout the United States and around the world.

 

Dr. Koren also co-founded a chiropractic college, is on the extension

faculty of two chiropractic colleges, is published in chiropractic and

bio-medical

journals and has received numerous awards in his field. His web sites include

www.korenpublications.com and www.teddkorenseminars.com

 

In his 2001 newsletter, Koren published articles that revealed that even

though he touted himself as a medical expert, Barrett had not been a licensed

physician since the early 1990s.

 

He also published that Barrett had been the subject of a $10 million

racketeering lawsuit [that had been withdrawn] and called him a ‘quackpot’

for the

contradiction of his website and lack of credentials.

 

Koren’s trial attorney, Carlos F. Negrete of San Juan Capistrano,

California, is known for his defense of physicians, chiropractors, dentists,

clinics

and natural heath providers who practice what is known as complimentary &

alternative medicine and holistic healthcare. Negrete has also handled

groundbreaking cases against HMOs in California and has represented many

celebrities and

politicians.

 

At trial, under a heated cross-examination by Negrete, Barrett conceded that

he was not a Medical Board Certified psychiatrist because he had failed the

certification exam.

 

This was a major revelation since Barrett had provided supposed expert

testimony as a psychiatrist and had testified in numerous court cases.

 

Barrett also had said that he was a legal expert even though he had no

formal legal training.

 

The most damming testimony before the jury, under the intense

cross-examination by Negrete, was that Barrett had filed similar defamation

lawsuits

against almost 40 people across the country within the past few years and had

not

won one single one at trial.

 

During the course of his examination, Barrett also had to concede his ties

to the AMA, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food & Drug Administration

(FDA).

 

This was not the first time that Negrete was a trial attorney in a Barrett

case. He also represented anti-fluoridation advocate Darlene Sherrell in a

federal lawsuit filed in Eugene, Oregon by Barrett.

 

Barrett also lost in trial of that case. Negrete also represented Robert

King of King Bio Natural Medicine of North Carolina and MediaPower

(manufacturers of CalMax and Nu-Zymes) of Maine in cases filed by an

organization led by

Barrett, which were lost by Barrett's organization.

 

Barrett has also filed a lawsuit against Negrete and his client Dr. Hulda

Clark (author of The Cure for All Diseases and The Cure for All Cancers) ,

which is now pending and awaiting trial in San Diego, California federal court.

 

After the Koren trial, Negrete stated: “The de-bunker has been de-bunked. I

am pleased and satisfied with this outcome for Dr. Koren and am proud that

Dr. Koren did not succumb to the pressures of the intimidation of Barrett’s

legal wrangling. Not everyone can stand up to someone as well known as

Barrett.â€

 

Negrete continued, “It is another great day for health freedom and

alternative healthcare around the world. I am especially pleased that this most

important victory was in Barrett’s own hometown. It just goes to show you

that

there is justice anywhere, even when you are a visitor challenging the home

team.

 

Barrett is a shill for the medical and pharmaceutical cartels and his bully

tactics and unjustified discrediting of leading innovators, scientists and

health practitioners should not be tolerated.â€

 

Negrete said, “You can be assured that our legal team will be wherever

health freedom advocates and practitioners are being persecuted. The tide is

now

turning and people are no long accepting that synthetic drugs are the only

form of treatment are the only way to address health concerns.

 

" Every day, consumers are becoming more educated about the benefits of

holistic and alternative methods. This is something that the medical

establishment

obviously fears and wants to crush with false propaganda.â€

 

Koren said that he would now go back to his home in Pennsylvania to spend

more time with his family and continue to write, research, and lecture on

topics concerning chiropractic and healthcare and the experiences he has gained

from this precedent setting legal battle.

 

He plans to give new lectures to chiropractors across the country who are

under attack or have been subjected to governmental actions.

 

He also announced that he is forming a new organization aimed at informing

and assisting chiropractors across the country.

 

The trial started on Monday, October 10, 2005 and ended on October 13, 2005

Barrett was represented by local Allentown attorney, Richard Orloski.