The Sheriff will never see this money, though I hope he does. Ryan B thinks he can do and say what he wants, you can voice your opinion but don't state it as fact...
A radio talk show host's request to set aside a multi-million dollar judgment against him was met Thursday with a resounding no.
Brian L. "Ryan B" Doyle filed a petition in Richmond County Superior Court asking Judge Duncan D. Wheale to set aside the $6.35 million in compensatory and punitive damages awarded to Sheriff Ronnie Strength in October.
The sheriff sued Mr. Doyle, radio station WAAW-FM (94.7) and owner Frank Neely for slander for a March 19 broadcast in which Mr. Doyle called the sheriff a killer.
The defendants failed to properly respond to the lawsuit within legal time limits and lost all potential defenses to the lawsuit. Then the defendants failed to appear for court when the judge was to set damages.
Mr. Doyle asked the judge to set aside the judgment, blaming his then-lawyer. He said attorney Harold Garcia never sent the defendants notice of the hearing, and Mr. Doyle said he was in Charleston, S.C., the day of the hearing.
Mr. Doyle said he knew nothing until a TV reporter called him to ask when he would arrive.
Judge Wheale noted that he questioned Mr. Garcia -- who did appear in court for the Oct. 3 proceeding -- extensively about why Mr. Doyle and Mr. Neely were not in court.
Mr. Doyle insisted that Mr. Garcia wasn't truthful, bringing a stinging rebuke from the judge.
Judge Wheale asked Mr. Doyle about the statement made that the judge met privately with the sheriff and his attorney before court in order to fix the case.
Mr. Doyle denied it, saying the reporter who called him stated that the sheriff and his attorney, Freddie Sanders, were in the judge's chambers. Mr. Doyle said he called the station and told someone there about that and someone issued a news release.
"You imply I'm a crooked judge ... you say the sheriff is a murderer ... you cannot take that back," Judge Wheale said. These are words that hurt people, ruin reputations, and Mr. Doyle did not care if they were true or not, the judge said.
As far as blaming the attorney, Judge Wheale said the issue of credibility went to Mr. Garcia, not Mr. Doyle.
Mr. Doyle said they intend to sue Mr. Garcia for malpractice.
LATEST IN THE CASE
- Radio station WAAW-FM owner Frank Neely has appealed the $6.35 million judgment.
- Brian L. "Ryan B" Doyle said he will also appeal.
- Neither defendant has a transcript of the Richmond County Superior Court hearings.
- The Court of Appeals requires a transcript before it will consider a legal challenge.
Comments
The Sheriff will never see this money, though I hope he does. Ryan B thinks he can do and say what he wants, you can voice your opinion but don't state it as fact...
Damn, son!! Is that a brown spot in your pants? The first amendment only goes so far.
So Doyle and Neely ignore the suit. Then what? Neely has some property to take, but what about Doyle? He's still on the air and no wiser then he was yesterday.
Ryan B took the lid off of the good ole boy network and they got mad. He broke the story about the cab ordeal at bush field during Master's and some incidents that have happened within the sheriff's department. He got the good ole country club boys upset and they set out to get him back.
I'm glad to see that slander has consequences in Augusta. The first amendment gives you the right to say what you want, but it doesn't give you the right to LIE and DEFAME. Judge Wheale just earned my respect. I am so sick of bash radio tearing this community apart.
WakeUpAUG, I totally agree with you. I am glad we may see justice here, but I wonder if John Q. Public would have been respected as the sheriff and judge has been. I don't think so in some courts in Augusta, but this is a good start. Thanks to Judge Wheale for standing up for justice!
Somebody else please call/email the AC and let them know that R&R is not allowing comments, nor are many of the other stories. They are getting tired of me. And Ryan-B just needs to go back to picking up soap for the big boys in the hoosegow.
Judge Wheale got it right! Well done!
Concerned Friend, I hope they "get him back." No one is lawfully allowed to espouse the absudities that "Felon B." regurgitates from his pie hole. He is as entertaining as Amos'n' Andy until he starts smearing people that he doesn't like or agree with. Ryan B. Doyle, inmate #OU812, is a flake ... of scab from Frank Neely's biological peripherial. Decent people know a skin-flint when they encounter one. You go Judge Duncan D. Wheale, lock that paper-hanging #*&^%@ up.
Just think if it was a black sheriff and white radio host then he would have lost his job and his case. The fact that Doyle is so arrogant as not to admit guilt and even blame his lawyer for his loss is so revealing of his pathology.
I should win a million dollars based on this mess, a caller said the Sheriff did something really bad. The host says if that happened then the Sheriff is a Murderer. The story is not true, so the Sheriff gets 6 million dollars. I am lost, we all should go to court about anything.
Conerned Friend - the issue is "slander". How can they possibly be "getting him back"? Did they force him to accuse the Sheriff of murder? You're too ridiculous for words.
owensjef, he repeated the accusation a number of times, as well as making numerous other unsubstantiated accusations about other white people in the area. He even attacked a few blacks when they suggested he get his facts right. The guy is a psycho and his sponsor is irresponsible.
I think the sheriff should get an order and garnish the wages of Ryan B. Legally he could.
HAHAHA! I'm so glad Ryan B. is getting his! Funny. What an ignorant ignorant man. The Judge has something he doesn't...a brain.
I think it's sad that the Rants/Raves section only has five comments today. I've been submitting the same comment for weeks--not a post on the board, but a comment to include in the R&R themselves. The AC has refused to publish a valid comment about a sleazy political practice that has become all to common in recent years, and I have to wonder why. They will publish rants about taking the last donut, they will publish raves to nice fast-food employees, but they won't even CONSIDER publishing an opinion about where first amendment rights meet property rights. It's disgusting, and the AC ought to do better than that.
these people are a great source of local entertainment
Neely should have reigned in Ryan and set some ground rules about what he can and cannot say on the radio. It should have been obvious to Ryan that slander was not allowed. So now Neely is held accounatble under the respondeat superior doctrines within the law.
Justus did you argue for Don Imus's first amendment rights concerning his firing. Imus did not commit libel or slander by your accounting. If Doyle is so stupid not to hire a competent lawyer then he deserves whatever he gets. He must be an ostrich. Of course that is a myth ostrichs don't hide there head in the sand-just Ryan B Doyle.
Seems like Ryan may be a Howard Stern Wannabe...only he spews a different kind of filth. . . I guess he's just not smart enough to duplicate.
justus4, the sheriff is an elected official....anything that casts doubt on his character is harmful for him. If there's proof of wrong doing, then it should be presented or else his reputation can be damaged for some idiots unfounded accusations. That can hurt him at election time which can affect his livelyhood. What would you do if someone lied to your boss (in the sheriff's case, the people) and swore it was the gospel truth in order to get you fiired? Would you just turn the other cheek? I don't think so...I believe your first statement would involve racial motives. . . Please go back to sleep until you can think of something more intelligent to say. OR have another doughnut.. .(that's the round, sweet thing with a hole in the middle in case you don't understand that either)
Right on for the Right on! Ryan B DOES NOT speak for me! Go Judge Wheale! It's your birthday!
You can expect that kind of annology from justus4. He has a skewed view of everything.
You can expect that kind of anaology from justus4. He has a skewed view of everything.
I would imagine six million dollars would by the radio station and then some. If they cant/dont pay up then take the radio station. Take their assets and I bet they show up to court. What an idiot. I am suprised RyanB has the cahones to actually blame his ignorance on his lawyer....ha ha ha ha. Maybe next time he states something he will get facts before making statements like he has. I am suprised he hasnt had more slander suits brought against him.....HA HA HA HA..... Good ole boys. That's righ. I guess Ryan is innocent and a victim of "the man" ? HA HA HA. He just got slapped in his mouth and now he wants to cry about it.. . I didnt know they made pampers that big.
doesn't cryin b owe Austin som loot as well?
He also had that suit filed by those reverends he accused of stealing from hyde park or something like that. I havent seen whats become of it. They need to take him off the air, but they wont cuz he gets listeners. I dont listen to him, Just the fact that justus4 does tells me what kind of crap he spews.
Rush Limbaugh said the clinton's killed Vince Foster
hey concerned- where is your proof to back that statement up about the good ole boys or was that an opinion? what if someone decided to call you a murderer and you knew you weren't? what would you do?
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