POP/ROCK - Feb. 16, 1987

NBC filed motions Friday asking a Nevada federal judge to overturn a $19-million jury judgment to entertainer Wayne Newton or grant a new trial of Newton’s defamation suit against the network. NBC lawyer Floyd Abrams charged in the motions that Newton “has failed to meet his burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the broadcasts at issue were false and that they were broadcast with knowledge of falsity or serious subjective doubts about their truth.” Abrams said that if the request to overturn the verdict is denied, the award for loss of earnings and punitive damages should be set aside.