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GV TILT DOWN EXT. U.S. Court house building
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GV ZOOM INTO SV irving & wife arriving with press
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MV PAN Nina arriving with escort
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CU Robert Morvillo Assist. D.A. speaks.
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MV Mr & Mrs Irving with friend walk off
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MORVILLO: They said they would sit down in Ibiza with tape recordings, and one day Mr Suskind would pretend that he was Howard Hughes and the next day Mr Irving would pretend that he was Howard Hughes and they would ask each other questions and they would answer those questions to make it look like they were really having a conversation with Mr Hughes. The false information that they used to write the book came from the New york City Public Library, came from the files of the Los Angeles Times, from Time-Life Inc., from transcripts that they purloined from the Library of Congress, from the so-called Dietrich manuscript which the indictment explains, or, how they got a copy of that. There was a lot of false information in the autobiography. They simply made up as they went along, according to the indictment."



The Irvings could each receive a maximum of ten years imprisonment on the Federal indictment. All three could be jailed for at least seven years each if they are convicted on the Country Grand Jury charges.




Initials SGM/2235 SGM/2215



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Author Clifford Irving, his 37-year-old wife Edith and researcher Richard Suskind, 41, were this week (march 9) indicted by Federal and Sate Country grand juries in New york for their part in the Howard Hughes autobiography affair.

the Irvings are accused of mail fraud and conspiring to defraud the McCraw Hill Publishing Company of 750,000 dollars (288,000 starling). It has alleged that they forged documents purportedly written by the millionaire recluse.

Suskind was named as a co-conspirator - although he will not face federal charges. The 41-year-old author and his co-defendants are to enter their pleas on Monday, (March 13).

SYNOPSIS: The Federal and Country Court House in New york -- and indictments are handed down in the Howard Pughes affair.

Author Clifford Irving, his wife Edith and researcher Richard Suskind faces charges of plotting to defraud a publishing company with a false autobiography by the millionaire recluse. Also in court, Danish-born singer Mina - who denies Irving's claim that she had seen him with Hughes.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Morvillo:
The Irvings could each receive ten years imprisonment if they're found guilty on Federal charges. And if they're convicted on Country Grand Jury charges, they and Suskind could be sentenced to at least seven years.