Boston Phoenix article libeled prosecutor, jury says

A U.S. District Court jury in Boston last week found that a January 2003 Boston Phoenix story libeled a Maryland prosecutor, who was involved in a custody dispute that included charges of child abuse, and awarded him $950,000, the Boston Globe reports. The story -- which focused on the inadequacies of the family court system in dealing iwth claims of child abuse -- described allegations that the plaintiff, Marc Mandel, had sexually abused children from two marriages. Mandel denied the accusations and sued for libel. Peter Kadzis, editor of the Phoenix, said that the paper will appeal.