Leno Suit Rolls On

By Stephen M. Silverman

10/14/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

The motor's still running in a lawsuit that accuses "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno of slandering a car designer. Although the case has been dismissed, a lawyer for auto designer Claudio Zampolli, who slapped a $150 million lawsuit on Leno in November 1999 (after claiming Leno damaged Zampolli's reputation by calling him a "crook" at a 1998 classic car show), has appealed the court's decision. Attorney Tristram Buckley, besides requesting that the California appellate court in Los Angeles reinstate the case, is also asking that a new judge be assigned. "Every single ruling (the judge) has made, irregardless (sic) of the law, has been in Mr. Leno's favor," Buckley told the Associated Press. Leno's attorney, Ronald Berg, said the initial suit was dismissed after Buckley failed to follow court procedures.