Alabama Football Booster Ray Keller Wins Judgment Against National Collegiate Athletic...

Alabama Football Booster Ray Keller Wins Judgment Against National CollegiateAthletic Association (NCAA)Jackson County Alabama Jury Awards Hollywood Alabama Resident Ray Keller FiveMillion Dollars in Landmark Defamation and Invasion of Privacy Lawsuit

SCOTTSBORO, Ala., Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- A jury in Jackson County Alabamareturned a verdict in favor of Alabama booster Ray Keller in his long runningdefamation and invasion of privacy lawsuit against the most powerful entity incollege athletics. The 5 million dollar jury award is the largest civil juryverdict in Jackson County Alabama in what was the longest running trial everheld in that county. The award is the largest ever against the NationalCollegiate Athletic Association.

The lawsuit was filed in the Jackson County Alabama in February of 2004after the powerful collegiate sports governing body refused to issue aretraction of statements concerning Ray Keller in a 2002 University of AlabamaInfractions Report. The Infractions Report, issued in February of 2002, waspresented at a major national news conference organized and conducted by theNCAA. Included in the Infractions Report and accompanying press conferenceand release was what was labeled by trial experts as an "unprecedentedpersonal attack" on Alabama football fan Ray Keller.

Lead Counsel Archie Lamb from Birmingham, Alabama noted that "The actionsby the governing body of college athletics in this case were deplorable inevery way. The jury verdict confirms that the NCAA defamed Ray Keller withmalicious intent and with reckless disregard for the truth. In over twentyyears as a trial attorney I have never felt a verdict was more appropriate."Lamb concluded "Ray Keller has truly been vindicated and is to be commendedfor his decision to make a stand in this landmark case."

Co-lead counsel Don Word from Scottsboro agreed. "The magnitude of thewrongful action and abusive tactics of the NCAA against a resident of ourcounty was confirmed by a jury of Ray Keller peers. This verdict is anexample of what is right about our system of justice" Word concluded. Thetrial team also included attorney Greg Davis from Montgomery Alabama and KirkWood from Birmingham Alabama.

Trial court Judge John Graham of Jackson County began the trial on October22, 2007. After illness forced Judge Graham to take a temporary leave ofabsence, substitute jurist William Gordon from Montgomery Alabama completedthe trial. The four week trial was conducted over a period of six weeks andincluded testimony by former Alabama head coach Gene Stallings, former NCAACommittee on Infractions Chairman David Swank and sports journalist PaulFinebaum. Additional background information can be found at:www.archielamb.com.

BACKGROUNDER

SUBJECT: Ray Keller v. NCAA; Defamation and Invasion of Privacy Lawsuit

Plaintiff: Ray Keller, Hollywood, Alabama

Defendant: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Indianapolis,

Indiana

Judges: The Honorable John Graham, Scottsboro Alabama; The Honorable

William Gordon, Montgomery, Alabama

Trial Dates: October 22, 2007 - November 28, 2007

Court: Circuit Court for Jackson County Alabama

Style of Case: Ray Keller v. National Collegiate Athletic Association