SULTAN GRANTED IMMUNITY FROM SUIT; MODEL ASSERTS SHE WAS HELD AGAINST WILL.Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer A former Miss USA Not to be confused with Miss America. The Miss USA pageant is a beauty contest that has been held every year since 1952, with winners competing in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA. and Miss California For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss California USA The Miss California competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss America pageant. claims the Sultan of Brunei had her held captive on an island palace for 32 days in hopes of coercing her into all-night sex parties. Now back at home, Shannon La Rhea rhea, in zoology rhea (rē`ə), common name for a South American bird of the family Rheidae, which is related to the ostrich. Weighing from 44 to 55 lb (20–25 kg) and standing up to 60 in. Marketic can't get her day in court. U.S. District Court Judge Consuelo Marshall ruled Tuesday that the Sultan of Brunei, as a head of state, has sovereign immunity The legal protection that prevents a sovereign state or person from being sued without consent. Sovereign immunity is a judicial doctrine that prevents the government or its political subdivisions, departments, and agencies from being sued without its consent. against lawsuits. Marshall made the decision after reviewing an opinion from a lawyer for the U.S. Department of State. ``Under customary rules of international law . . . the Sultan, as head of a sovereign state SOVEREIGN STATE. One which governs itself independently of any foreign power. , is immune from the jurisdiction of the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. in this case,'' wrote Michael J. Matheson, acting legal adviser for the State Department. The State Department did not, however, offer the same immunity to the Sultan's brother, Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiaht. Marshall delayed a decision on whether the brother should also get immunity. Marketic, 27, filed a $90 million lawsuit in federal court in March, claiming the Sultan - Haji Hassanal Bolkiah - his brother and others held her captive for 32 days. Marketic maintains she and six other women, who also have sued, were told they were expected to participate in all-night sex parties with influential and wealthy men. In the suit, Marketic, who was Miss California 1992 and Miss USA 1992-93, claims she cut a deal to do modeling and promotional work for Kaliber Talent in Brunei. Once there, her passport and plane tickets were taken, and she and the other women were put under the influence of some type of gas, according to the suit. The gas caused the women to go to sleep and Marketic claimed that she awakened to find her clothes disheveled. Nowhere in the suit does Marketic claim she met or had sex with the Sultan or his brother. Marketic's suit seeks compensation for racketeering Traditionally, obtaining or extorting money illegally or carrying on illegal business activities, usually by Organized Crime . A pattern of illegal activity carried out as part of an enterprise that is owned or controlled by those who are engaged in the illegal activity. , intentional infliction of emotional distress The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. , negligent misrepresentation misrepresentation In law, any false or misleading expression of fact, usually with the intent to deceive or defraud. It most commonly occurs in insurance and real-estate contracts. False advertising may also constitute misrepresentation. , breach of contract and negligence. The talent company is also named in the suit. The Sultan has denied her claims, saying he never met Marketic and did not participate in the activities she alleges took place. Henry Silberberg, a lawyer for Marketic, said they expected the judge would side with the State Department and give the Sultan immunity. ``It's unfair,'' Silberberg said. ``We think the judge was incorrect in her ruling.'' At this point, Silberberg said Marketic's team will try to prevent the Sultan's brother from being granted immunity. ``If we get Prince Jefri to remain in the case, we have a case,'' Silberberg said. In a statement released by a publicist, representatives of the Brunei royal family said they were ``pleased that his majesty will not be subjected further to the frivolous and self-serving claim on which this case was based, with the accompanying media coverage that matters like this tend to generate.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Former Miss USA Shannon Marketic can't sue Brunei's head of state, a judge ruled Monday. Associated Press |
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