I don't know why these get me so mad...

[n567]

Maybe it's just the utter stupidity of people these days. How can a society function if no one is responsible for themselves? I swear to god, the only way people think anymore is how to turn any situation into a potential money making lawsuit...

quote:

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Gun Company Must Pay Teacher's Widow
Posted: 5:02 p.m. EST November 14, 2002
Updated: 6:23 p.m. EST November 14, 2002

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. -- A jury has awarded the widow of teacher Barry Grunow $1.2 million from a gun distributor.
Pam Grunow's lawsuit accused Valor Corp of distributing a gun that was "unsafe, defective and lacked features that would have prevented a minor from using it."

The case stems from the murder of teacher Barry Grunow by one of his students. Nathaniel Brazill shot Grunow to death two years ago in a West Palm Beach classroom.

Pam Grunow's lawyer asked for $76 million. But the jury found gun distributor Valor Corporation 5 percent liable for Grunow's death. The owner of the gun and the school board held the most of the liability, the jury found.

The jury didn't find any liability for Nathanial Brazill, who pulled the trigger. Brazill stole the unloaded gun and bullets from a cookie tin stashed away in a dresser drawer of family friend Elmore McCray.

The jury said Grunow's family should get $24 million from the three parties. The school board was told to pay her $10.8 million, and the family friend was told to pay $12 million.

This is the first lawsuit in the country in which a gun company has in any way been held responsible in a murder.

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Right, I'm going to go and choke on some fast food, maybe nearly die! That should be good for a quick settlement.

[Oregon Mike]

You'll have better luck getting money if you spill coffee on yourself. There's a precedent for that already.

Mike

[RachelR]

No liability at all for the shooter?

That's not only ridiculous.. it's disheartening to see what our justice system has evolved into.

[Lictalon]

No provision to keep a minor from using it? This wasn't a three year old...this was a child in his teens. What the heck type of "provision" would you need to keep a teenager from using a gun?

See, the problem isn't the gun, it's the kids. We should lop all their fingers off until they reach twenty-one, then surgically re-attach them. That'll keep'em safe.

[shooter1201]

The auto makers better PRAY I'm never the victim of a DRIVE-BY SHOOTING!

[huff317]

quote:

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The auto makers better PRAY I'm never the victim of a DRIVE-BY SHOOTING!

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Or better yet, how about if you were a victim of a drive-by, just happened to be ordering HOT coffee at McDonald's, and spilled some in your "privates" area while you were getting shot at, huh?

You could REALLY clean up on that one!

Peace

[CinaC]

quote:

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No liability at all for the shooter?

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The liability was 5% for the gun manufacturer. FIVE percent. The shooter is serving a 30 year jail sentence.

[ 11-15-2002, 10:51 AM: Message edited by: C in a J ]

[RachelR]

So what are you saying Crazy? Do you think the gun manufacturer should have had more of a liability?

[CinaC]

No, I'm saying the gun manufactuer was found by the jury to have a very small percentage of the liablity. In specific, 5%.

[shooter1201]

But in this CIVIL trial, the CRIMINAL was found to be 'NOT AT FAULT'. I wonder what CESS POOL those jurors were sucked out of?

[Sparky]

TORT REFORM!

[Niteshift]

5% is 5% more than they logically should have had.

I agree Sparky! Tort Reform indeed.

[Evnings]

Tort reform isn't going to happen as long as we keep electing trial attornies to be state legislators or US Congressman.

Personally, I'm all for doing away with attornies. In my opinion, they have corrupted the true intentions of the US Constitution and the various state constitutions to the point that the law is not about justice anymore.

[shooter1201]

So many lawyers....so little time.

[Bill R]

quote:

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Originally posted by C in a J:

quote:

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No liability at all for the shooter?

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The liability was 5% for the gun manufacturer. FIVE percent. The shooter is serving a 30 year jail sentence.

---

You're right they said the manufacturer was 5% responsible. Did they order the owner and school board to cough up $24 million?

The owner of the gun and the school board held the most of the liability, the jury found.

If the shooter is criminally responsible he should easily be found responsible in civil court since the burden of proof is less in civil cases.

The jury didn't find any liability for Nathanial Brazill, who pulled the trigger.

Totally messed up verdict. I hope the manufacturer is victorious in their appeal.