Sharpton sues HBO
By Allison Romano -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/25/2002 4:00:00 AM
An outraged Rev. Al Sharpton filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Home Box Office Wednesday in New York over the network's airing of a videotape showing Sharpton discussing a cocaine deal with an undercover FBI agent.
Sharpton has said the tape, from 1983, gives a distorted view of events and claimed that a second tape will exonerate him.
HBO Sports showed a segment from the first tape on its Real Sports show Tuesday night. The pay network, though, said it hasn't seen any second tape.
"We would welcome the chance to see it," HBO Sports spokesman Ray Stalone said.
Stalone dismissed Sharpton's lawsuit as "so silly that it is unworthy of comment."
HBO played the Sharpton tape as part of a Real Sports piece about former Mafia member Michael Franzese and corruption in sports.
In the FBI tape, the agent poses a boxing promoter and South American drug dealer. The agent was allegedly trying to arrange a meeting between Franzese and boxing promoter Don King, to whom Sharpton had ties.
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