Libel lies - has Beckham been denied justice?

David Beckham had his day in court cut short after a US judge dismissed his £15m libel claim against In Touch magazine. Becks was suing over a story that he supposedly bedded prostitute Irma Nici. The fact that Beckham had been thousands of miles away on the night in question made no difference to the case under US libel law which does not concern itself with whether or not a story has been fabricated but focuses on whether malice can be proved. So a somewhat different approach to UK law - maybe one to consider as part of the libel law reform - sure the press would not complain! So according to Judge Real because Beckham is famous reports about him are fair game even if they are untrue and as no malice was proven against In Touch the case would be dismissed. Bet Becks wishes he had gone forum shopping (if the magazine had appeared in the UK). As for poor hounded Irma Nici's first amendment rights to free speech it seems as long as her lies are not malicious she can carry on peddling them...in the US - the German courts don't tolerate such nonsense and have already ruled in Beckham's favour on the same matter.