Chief Justice takes on Ian Alleyne

Attorneys representing Chief Justice Ivor Archie have initiated legal action against talk show host Ian Alleyne for a video he aired on his Crime Watch show on Monday as well as statements he made while recording the CJ at a restaurant in Chaguanas.

Archie has demanded an unqualified public retraction of the allegations made and a proper apology agreeable to him, to be released to the local and international media and placed on the internet. His attorneys Keith Scotland and Asha Watkins-Montserin have also demanded that the video be removed from Alleyne’s Facebook page, YouTube channel and any other electronic, print or similar forum used to communicate to the public. He is also seeking substantial damages “to demonstrate the baselessness of the allegations” made by Alleyne on his programme and to compensate him for the injury to his reputation, financial loss, and considerable distress.

Alleyne was given 28 days in which to respond.

Scotland, in a pre-action protocol letter sent to Alleyne yesterday, is alleging slander, defamation and an invasion of the Chief Justice’s privacy.

He has also accused Alleyne of making malicious falsehoods which have sullied the good name of the Chief Justice and damaged his reputation as well as brought him into public odium and disrepute and intruded the CJ’s public space.

Scotland said Alleyne’s actions were intended to violate the standards of ordinary decency.