THORN-EMI WINS U.S. RULING IN BEATLES SUIT
<Thorn-EMI PLC> said the New York
Supreme Court dismissed six of the nine actions in a suit filed
by the Beatles for royalties on their songs.
    It said the court dismissed charges of fraud and
conversion, and claims of 50 mln dlrs in punitive damages
sought by the companies, <Apple Records Inc>, <Apple Corps
Ltd>, and former Beatles, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and the
widow of John Lennon, Yoko Ono. Paul McCartney was not party to
the suit.
    The Beatles brought the suit against Capital Records Inc
and EMI Records Ltd, two units of Thorn-EMI.
    The Beatles charged the record companies with defrauding
them by not paying royalties on sales of various recordings
over the past 18 years.
    A spokesman for the company in New York said while the
court dismissed six of the nine actions involving punitive
damages, three actions remain, with 30 mln dlrs in claims for
royalties.

 Reuter
