Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

[gojackets]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

As I say, good for Bale. Although I'd imagine his reasoning for going was equal parts humanitarian and business. The only apology we're due from Christian Bale is for "Newsies," but I digress.

Hey....I love Newsies

[state of hockey]

Hey....I love Newsies

Really? Even Bale doesn't like it.

[duper]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

He was, but he was wrong. No one "has to be responsible" for it. It isn't a crime.

You don't sue over the commission of a crime. You sue over a civil offense. So the fact that it's not a crime is totally irrelevant. However, the only person who seems likely to be considered civilly liable is James Holmes, and suing him would be pretty pointless, since I'm pretty sure he is the proverbial turnip from which you can't squeeze blood.

Here is an article from the Denver Post that includes commentary from DU Law Professor Tom Russell (who if I am not mistaken is also a practicing Plaintiff's Attorney).

[Old Pio]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

You don't sue over the commission of a crime. You sue over a civil offense. So the fact that it's not a crime is totally irrelevant. However, the only person who seems likely to be considered civilly liable is James Holmes, and suing him would be pretty pointless, since I'm pretty sure he is the proverbial turnip from which you can't squeeze blood.

Here is an article from the Denver Post that includes commentary from DU Law Professor Tom Russell (who if I am not mistaken is also a practicing Plaintiff's Attorney).

Among the many scummy things that go on in American courtrooms (think John Edwards) among the scummiest are product liability suits. Certainly if a defective product injures an innocent person, that person should be entitled to compensation, at least for medical expenses. "Pain and suffering" is another and a huge racket.

My favorite "product liability" lawsuit evolved from a tragic case of some illegals who were locked into a refrigerated rail car and suffocated--horribly. Among those sued: the builder of the rail car. Ironically, it performed exactly as it was designed to do, by providing an air tight seal to permit refrigeration of cargo. I don't recall how the suit came out but this was another example of bottom feeding lawyers angling for a big payday FOR THEMSELVES by getting this matter in front of a jury of ciphers only too willing to show "compassion" for the poor victims. Just like the idiots who awarded a silly old lady who put hot coffee between her legs and got burned, millions of dollars.

[duper]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

Among the many scummy things that go on in American courtrooms (think John Edwards) among the scummiest are product liability suits. Certainly if a defective product injures an innocent person, that person should be entitled to compensation, at least for medical expenses. "Pain and suffering" is another and a huge racket.

My favorite "product liability" lawsuit evolved from a tragic case of some illegals who were locked into a refrigerated rail car and suffocated--horribly. Among those sued: the builder of the rail car. Ironically, it performed exactly as it was designed to do, by providing an air tight seal to permit refrigeration of cargo. I don't recall how the suit came out but this was another example of bottom feeding lawyers angling for a big payday FOR THEMSELVES by getting this matter in front of a jury of ciphers only too willing to show "compassion" for the poor victims. Just like the idiots who awarded a silly old lady who put hot coffee between her legs and got burned, millions of dollars.

I disagree with the basic sentiment here. Oh sure, anecdotal evidence is easy to collect, and it's easy to sway people to believe that non-economic damages have no place. I just disagree.

I also just thought people might find it interesting to read about a law professor/plaintiff's lawyer who believes that there is no merit for a lawsuit in the shooting here.

[Old Pio]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

I disagree with the basic sentiment here. Oh sure, anecdotal evidence is easy to collect, and it's easy to sway people to believe that non-economic damages have no place. I just disagree.

I also just thought people might find it interesting to read about a law professor/plaintiff's lawyer who believes that there is no merit for a lawsuit in the shooting here.

Yeah, you're right, it's not a racket. What was I thinking of? You add up enough annecdotes and you get something pretty close to an airtight case. Take the case of Caesar Belli, son of that ultimate ambulance chaser Melvin. Years ago, when an L1011 bellyflopped in to DFW because of a windshear, old Caesar was in the hotel with the families THAT NIGHT trying to drum up business.

You'll also recall the case in Bhopal, India, where the release of some MIC gas killed hundreds of workers. Belli also represented them and demanded that the courts compensate them at the same rate they'd be compsensated in the United States. So these poor folks, who were making a few hundred dollars a year, should be compensated in the millions as if they were Americans, because MELVIN WANTED THE COMISSION.

How about we institute the same rules they have in England? John Edwards takes a personal injury or product liability case on contingency and loses, he pays the other guy's legal fees. The way it works now, some clumsy yokel falls down outside of your business and hauls you to court. You prevail. And your lawyer turns to you and says: "Congratulations, that'll be $5,000." Maybe making John Edwards or whichever scum bag took the case on contingency liable for the legal fees might make him a trifle less inclined to file worthless lawsuits.

I'd imagine you'd disagree with the "basic sentiment" right up until the time you took nine inches of sandpaper dik from a scumbag like John Edwards or Melvin Belli. Remember, Jesse James did it with a gun.

[gojackets]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

There's already precedent here though. The lawsuits against the music industry that the violent lyrics led kids to do violent things were thrown out of court. That should set the precedent that the same thing should happen with lawsuits against violent movies. And no judge wants to set the precedent of allowing a case against a doctor saying that the doctor should have known that the kid was going to go on a murderous rampage.

[Old Pio]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

There's already precedent here though. The lawsuits against the music industry that the violent lyrics led kids to do violent things were thrown out of court. That should set the precedent that the same thing should happen with lawsuits against violent movies. And no judge wants to set the precedent of allowing a case against a doctor saying that the doctor should have known that the kid was going to go on a murderous rampage.

Part of the charm of our system is the extortion of defendants with deep pockets. Defendants who will consider the cost of defending against a frivolous suit and compare that to the cost of paying the plaintiff "go away." All too frequently the defendants just pay up. They figure the cost to their business in both dollars and public relations simply isn't worth the effort.

[duper]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

Yeah, you're right, it's not a racket. What was I thinking of? You add up enough annecdotes and you get something pretty close to an airtight case. Take the case of Caesar Belli, son of that ultimate ambulance chaser Melvin. Years ago, when an L1011 bellyflopped in to DFW because of a windshear, old Caesar was in the hotel with the families THAT NIGHT trying to drum up business.

You'll also recall the case in Bhopal, India, where the release of some MIC gas killed hundreds of workers. Belli also represented them and demanded that the courts compensate them at the same rate they'd be compsensated in the United States. So these poor folks, who were making a few hundred dollars a year, should be compensated in the millions as if they were Americans, because MELVIN WANTED THE COMISSION.

How about we institute the same rules they have in England? John Edwards takes a personal injury or product liability case on contingency and loses, he pays the other guy's legal fees. The way it works now, some clumsy yokel falls down outside of your business and hauls you to court. You prevail. And your lawyer turns to you and says: "Congratulations, that'll be $5,000." Maybe making John Edwards or whichever scum bag took the case on contingency liable for the legal fees might make him a trifle less inclined to file worthless lawsuits.

I'd imagine you'd disagree with the "basic sentiment" right up until the time you took nine inches of sandpaper dik from a scumbag like John Edwards or Melvin Belli. Remember, Jesse James did it with a gun.

I wrote up a whole reply to this, but it is awfully far afield of the topic of this thread.

In any case, a pretty well respected expert in the field of personal injury law believes that lawsuits in this issue will be thrown out, except possibly against James Holmes, who probably can't pay a judgment anyway (especially as he is quite likely to spend the remainder of his days in jail and prison.)

[Old Pio]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

I wrote up a whole reply to this, but it is awfully far afield of the topic of this thread.

In any case, a pretty well respected expert in the field of personal injury law believes that lawsuits in this issue will be thrown out, except possibly against James Holmes, who probably can't pay a judgment anyway (especially as he is quite likely to spend the remainder of his days in jail and prison.)

A true inspiration

[joecct]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

The Department of Homeland Security (via the City of Houston) has published a video of what to do when the bullets start flying:

[Old Pio]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

Unconfirmed media report that the Aurora shooter's shrink alerted the "threat assessment team" at CU. Evidently nothing was done. Just like for Woo Tang Clan at VTU and Loughner in Tucson. How many people have to be gunned down by these crazies before we get our collective act together?

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...-threat-team/1

[Almington]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

Unconfirmed media report that the Aurora shooter's shrink alerted the "threat assessment team" at CU. Evidently nothing was done. Just like for Woo Tang Clan at VTU and Loughner in Tucson. How many people have to be gunned down by these crazies before we get our collective act together?

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...-threat-team/1

What would you want them to do? The requirements for contacting the police are much higher than for the staff at the university to discuss how to help a student through what appears to be a tough situation. We don't know why she contacted the other team members, but it wasn't enough to place a 72 hr psychiatric on him. Once he left the university, the BETA team didn't have any way to help him. It's easy to look back and say "they should have known more" in hindsight but it's difficult to put all the information together and how many people have mental health problems but don't go on a mass shooting spree let alone harm anyone.

[Old Pio]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

What would you want them to do? The requirements for contacting the police are much higher than for the staff at the university to discuss how to help a student through what appears to be a tough situation. We don't know why she contacted the other team members, but it wasn't enough to place a 72 hr psychiatric on him. Once he left the university, the BETA team didn't have any way to help him. It's easy to look back and say "they should have known more" in hindsight but it's difficult to put all the information together and how many people have mental health problems but don't go on a mass shooting spree let alone harm anyone.

Then why the fook have a "Crisis Intervention Team" in the first place? That is exactly the type of thinking that let that little Korean nutbar loose at VTU and allowed Loughner to shoot the Congressman and kill all those folks in Tucson. Admittedly it's a pretty small sample size. But it doesn't seem like the ultra-legalistic approach is working, does it? And I'm curious to know if the "BETA" team was formed in reaction to the slaughter at VTU.

The thing to do here, instead of trying to figure out how we can deal more effectively with these barking moonbats, is to continue to offer excuses for the failures of the system and the people who work in it. Yeah, that's the ticket.

[joecct]

Re: Rampage in Colorado Movie theater.

And then, folks is the fine state of Maryland, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Democratic Party, where if you threaten via the phone to kill everyone, it's only a misdemeanor.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...bJPX_blog.html