
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, September 12, 1995                   TAG: 9509120079
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

WILDER LAWSUIT CAN'T BE TRIED IN VIRGINIA

Former Gov. Douglas Wilder cannot pursue in Virginia a lawsuit against a former security guard accused of roughing him up in the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, a judge ruled Monday.

Richmond Circuit Judge T.J. Markow said the former guard, who lives in North Carolina, does not have sufficient ties with Virginia to be sued in Virginia courts.

Wilder alleges the guard shoved and choked him March 7 after Wilder, who said he was treated rudely after a clip on his suspenders set off a metal detector, tried to read the guard's name tag.

The guard was fired the same day.

Wilder filed a $5 million lawsuit on June 15 against the guard; his employer, Globe Security of Irving, Texas; USAir of Arlington, which hired Globe Security to provide guards at the airport; and the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority.

The lawsuit alleges assault and battery, false imprisonment and negligence. Wilder is seeking $3 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages.

Markow will rule later on a request that the lawsuit against the other defendants be moved to Arlington.

Lawyers for the airline argued Monday that a trial in Richmond would be inconvenient because so many of the witnesses work in Arlington. They also said they think a Richmond jury could be biased because Wilder is a prominent Virginian.

Wilder, the nation's first elected black governor, served from 1990 until 1994. He hosts a weekly radio show on WRVA-AM in Richmond and teaches at two universities.

Memo: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.

by CNB