1. Book: 'McLibel:Burger Culture On Trial' by John Vidal, The New Press (New York), and Pan Books, Macmillan (London).
   
   
2. Press Releases, 22nd & 24th March 1996 - "McDonald's and BSE, The Facts", and "Why McDonald's Was Forced To Ban British Beef" [available by fax from MSC - see below].
   
   
3. Howard Lyman's McLibel testimony - court transcript, Day 233, 26th March 1996.
   
   
4. Howard Lyman's McLibel Witness Statement
   
   
5. Howard Lyman's McSpotlight Interview
   
   
6. Articles in UK media about Howard Lyman at the time of his McLibel testimony:
   a. The Guardian, 27th March 1996
   b. The Scotsman, 27th March 1996
   
   
7. AG BIZ TILLER ONLINE (Jan 15th 1998) "Oprah to People's Court; What's Paul Engler's $6.7 Million Beef?"
   
   
8. Chicago Tribune piece by Eric Zorn, "Cattlemen's prod prime opportunity for Winfrey, PETA", about the Oprah trial (Thursday, January 15, 1998) in which they refered very briefly to the 'disasterous' McLibel trial verdict, comparing it with the Oprah trial. Didn't mention (probably not aware) Lyman had just testified in London.
   
   Many of the above references are available on email from: McLibel Support Campaign in London UK - mclibel@globalnet.co.uk
   
   McLibel Defendant Dave Morris available for interview - c/o +44-(0)171 713 1269

 
Deja vu for the main protagonists Lyman and Engler via McDonald's UK libel link. Lyman's McLibel testimony to be evidence in Oprah trial

Howard Lyman was fresh from testifying in London on March 26th 1996 in the 'McLibel' trial (the longest trial in English legal history, ending on June 19th 1997) when he appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show (a few days after arriving back in the USA after a UK mini-tour). [See Chapter 12 of the US 'McLibel' book, and the McLibel press releases - refs below.] BSE had that week erupted into a national scandal in the UK after expert concerns (which had been ignored or suppressed for years) were suddenly vindicated by Government admissions confirming the need for a beef ban. McDonald's halted all sales of hamburgers for 4 days (and later of UK beef for over 18 mths) on March 23rd 1996 just after the McLibel Support Campaign issued a public call for them to do this (see ref below). Lyman's McLibel witness testimony is due to be evidence in the Oprah trial.

The Texas rancher Paul F. Engler of Amarillo who is prosecuting the Oprah case has been associated throughout his career with IBP Ltd, a major supplier of McDonald's beef in the USA (and a controversial company investigated or prosecuted a number of times for price-fixing and monopoly practices - see AG BIZ TILLER piece referred to below). [IBP documents confirming they supply McDonald's are held by the McLibel defence].

The McLibel trial, brought by the McDonald's Corporation against two London environmentalists [see Backgrounder below; and the CBS 'McLibel' mini-documentary on '60 Minutes', 28th Dec 1997] was described by UK Channel 4 News as "the biggest Corporate PR disaster in history" despite the Corporation spending $16 million fighting defendants who had to represent themselves having been denied Legal Assistance. The oppressive UK libel laws (up till now unconstitutional in the US) were rendered obsolete by the determined continued mass dissemination of 2.5 million flyers by thousands of UK activists (accompanied by solidarity campaigns in 40 countries) before, during and after the case, and by the creation of the huge, comprehensive and near-legendary McSpotlight website.

Will it be McLibel Mark 2 in Texas?