Massachusetts Court Finds Chai Ling Liable for More than Half Million

Almost three years ago, we reported that Chai Ling had lost her court case against the Long Bow Group, the producer of the documentary Gate of Heavenly Peace. The court had previously thrown out Chai Ling's claim for defamation, but she launched a trademark claim intended to bankrupt the defendant. That lawsuit was also summarily rejected by the court.

Not to be deterred, Chai Ling appealed again in early 2012 which she also lost.

This week, a Massachusetts court finally put a hammer on this frivolous legal attempt in censoring free speech and ordered Jenzabar, Chai Ling's company in the lawsuit, to pay $511,943.12 in attorney's fees and expenses. The ruling of the court judges Chai Ling's effort as an "abuse of process":

The central element of abuse of process is the use of litigation for an ulterior purpose -- that is, a purpose other than to achieve relief for the wrong alleged. The overall record of this case leaves no doubt that that is exactly what Jenzabar did; it subjected Long Bow to protracted and costly litigation not to protect the good will of its trademark from misappropriation, but to suppress criticism of Jenzabar's principals and its corporate practices.

Previously, a group of Chinese student leaders including her former husband Feng Congde had co-signed an open letter supporting Chai Ling's case, claiming to "defending the name of June 4th." Another group of intellectuals, although somewhat lesser known, published an open letter in support of the Long Bow Group, to defend the freedom of speech.

Chai Ling did not mention this legal struggle in her autobiography.