P.M. BRIEFING : Jury Decides in Borg’s Favor
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STOCKHOLM — Hours after Bjorn Borg stormed out of a courtroom, a nine-member jury decided he had been defamed by a magazine that published allegations the former tennis star had used drugs.
The jury’s finding Tuesday, however, is not binding. The three judges will deliver the formal verdict on Monday.
Borg sued Z, a weekly magazine, for $58,000 for printing allegations by his former girlfriend, Jannicke Bjorling, that he used drugs.
Borg, a five-time Wimbledon champion, left the courthouse in a fury after the presiding judge denied his attorney’s request to call an unlisted witness. “This is enough for me. I’m leaving,” Borg said. He rushed past reporters and called out, “I do not care what you write.”
On Monday, Borg denied in court that he ever used drugs. His lawyer argued that the magazine knew Bjorling was in a bitter custody dispute with Borg over their son and should not have printed her unsubstantiated allegations.
Z’s chief editor, Jorgen Widsell, told the court he had three sources saying Borg had used cocaine.
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