Judge rejects Adelson’s bid to query reporter

A U.S. magistrate judge threw a wrench into casino mogul Sheldon Adelson's defamation lawsuit against an Israeli businessman last week when she denied Adelson's request to depose the reporter who wrote the story in which the allegedly inflammatory comments appeared.

Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen ruled that Las Vegas Sun business reporter Richard Velotta is protected by Nevada's shield law, which prevents a reporter from being forced to disclose material, published or unpublished, that is collected during the information-gathering process.

Velotta interviewed businessman Moshe Hananel prior to a story published in February 2004.

Hananel filed a lawsuit against Adelson in 2002, claiming he is the one who told Adelson about the potential business success for a casino operator in Macau.

Hananel said he conducted research on the venture before Adelson decided to build The Venetian in Macau, a former Portuguese colony. Hananel, a former employee of Adelson, claims the casino operator owes him money from the Macau deal.

Leen said Adelson's "reasons for taking the deposition to inquire about Velotta's education, journalistic experience, practices and procedures, and the practices and policies of his employer merely attempt to obtain indirectly what Adelson may not obtain directly under Nevada's news media shield statute."

Leen did not award the newspaper attorney fees.