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SAN FRANCISCO -- The convicted ringleader in the BALCO
doping scandal settled a defamation lawsuit brought by track star
Marion Jones over allegations that she used banned
performance-enhancing drugs, a lawyer in the case said Tuesday.
Jones settled her $25 million suit in U.S. District Court here
Monday against Victor Conte, who's serving a four-month prison term
for his role in the steroid scandal.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"The case has been settled on confidential terms," Conte
attorney James Wagstaffe said. Jones' attorneys did not return
messages.
The settlement came two weeks after Wagstaffe submitted
documents saying he would, as part of the case, take the
depositions of Jones, "and other individuals who will corroborate
plaintiff's use of anabolic steroids and other performance
enhancing drugs."
Jones filed the $25 million suit in December 2004 after Conte
said on the "20/20" television program and in a magazine article
that he supplied Jones with an array of banned drugs that she then
used to help her win five medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in
Sydney.
Jones said Conte, the founder the Bay Area Laboratory
Co-Operative firm, had a vendetta against her and accused him of
lying to try to destroy her career and reputation.
Conte maintained his statements about Jones were accurate, and
told The Associated Press when the case was filed that "I look
forward with all confidence to the court proceedings as I stand by
everything I said."
Jones pulled out of the U.S. Championships last year, citing an
injury. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has not charged her with a
doping offense.
Conte is scheduled to be released to home confinement March 30
from a federal prison near Bakersfield, where he is serving time
for orchestrating the illegal steroids distribution scheme that
reportedly involved Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and others.
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