NAMES IN THE NEWS : Suit Against Bowie Dismissed

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against rock star David Bowie that claimed he sexually assaulted a fan and told her he had AIDS after spending the night with her.

Wanda Lee Nichols said Bowie assaulted her after inviting her to his hotel room Oct. 9, 1987, during a concert tour stopover in Dallas.

Bowie conceded he had spent the night with Nichols, but denied he had assaulted her. A grand jury declined to indict Bowie on Nov. 18, 1987.

Nichols said she would continue to press for monetary damages despite the decision by U.S. District Judge Sam Cummings on Monday.

Nichols earlier had asked that Bowie be tested for AIDS, although her attorney said she tested negative for exposure to the virus. Bowie subsequently tested negative for AIDS.

Attorney Daniel P. Callahan, who represented Bowie, called Nichols’ action a “nuisance suit.”