Princess Diana charity settles souvenir-related suit with Franklin Mint News
Princess Diana charity settles souvenir-related suit with Franklin Mint

[JURIST] The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund and the Pennsylvania-based souvenir firm the Franklin Mint settled a $25 million malicious prosecution suit out of court Wednesday. The Mint had sued the Diana Fund for $25 million in November 2002 claiming that the Fund had tried to stop it from producing souvenirs memorializing Diana after her death in a Paris car-crash. While the details of the settlement will not be released, the Diana Fund and the Franklin Mint issued a joint statement [DOC] stating that their goals are to apply the resources that would have been used in the lawsuit to charitable causes. The Diana Fund had frozen its charitable donations pending the outcome of the lawsuit. The Diana Fund has issued a press release of its own available here. BBC News has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Montgomery started racially-integrated bus service after boycott

On December 21, 1956, buses in Montgomery, Alabama, started racially integrated service following federal court rulings ending on-board segregation. Bus boycott leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Rev. Ralph Abernathy were among the first riders under the new scheme. Learn about the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Stalin born

On December 21, 1879, Joseph Stalin was born in Gori, Georgia. In 1922, he became leader of the USSR until his death in 1953. During his time as Soviet dictator, Stalin industrialized his country, which he then led to become one of the world's two superpowers after WWII. Through his infamous purges, show trials and nationwide famines, Stalin also became responsible for millions of deaths.