Officer who beat boy gets $1.6m

LucyR · 20th January 2005, 08:54 AM

I know I'm getting into the habit of just posting links and not contributing anything in the way of original thought but I really thought people here be interested in this:

"A US policeman who was filmed punching a black youth and slamming him against a car has been awarded $1.6m (Â£890,000) in a race discrimination case."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4190965.stm

Smike · 20th January 2005, 10:26 AM

Yeah, and what percentage do the lawyers get?

This is ridiculous, but I'm sure cases like this happen all the time. I suppose part of the problem is that the money is supposed to be a punishment for the loser, so if the loser is rich, the winner gets a ridiculously high amount.

Beerina · 20th January 2005, 10:32 AM

It's only the punative damages that allow juries to make a company's poor decisions more costly than they estimated.

"We (the company) estimate a recall will cost X million, while just letting people continue to die and paying out of court settlements will cost Y million, and Y is significantly less than X. Let's choose Y."

Without punative damages, companies will be able to get away with that analysis.

Jon_in_london · 20th January 2005, 10:48 AM

Sounds like a fair price for rascism.....

20th January 2005, 08:54 AM	#1
LucyR Graduate Poster Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,086	Officer who beat boy gets $1.6m I know I'm getting into the habit of just posting links and not contributing anything in the way of original thought but I really thought people here be interested in this: "A US policeman who was filmed punching a black youth and slamming him against a car has been awarded $1.6m (Â£890,000) in a race discrimination case." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4190965.stm
LucyR Graduate Poster Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,086

20th January 2005, 10:26 AM	#2
Smike Innocent bystander Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: UK Posts: 2,111	Yeah, and what percentage do the lawyers get? This is ridiculous, but I'm sure cases like this happen all the time. I suppose part of the problem is that the money is supposed to be a punishment for the loser, so if the loser is rich, the winner gets a ridiculously high amount.
	__________________ 'As notable chicken superior court judge Sir Peckpeck Eatsbugs-Smythe once said, "the only thing we have to fear is space lizards with atom ray guns from beyond the moon." As true today as when it was said.' - TragicMonkey

20th January 2005, 10:32 AM	#3
Beerina Sarcastic Conqueror of Notions Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: A floating island above the clouds Posts: 23,835	It's only the punative damages that allow juries to make a company's poor decisions more costly than they estimated. "We (the company) estimate a recall will cost X million, while just letting people continue to die and paying out of court settlements will cost Y million, and Y is significantly less than X. Let's choose Y." Without punative damages, companies will be able to get away with that analysis.
	__________________ "Great innovations should not be forced [by way of] slender majorities." - Thomas Jefferson The government should nationalize it! Socialized, single-payer video game development and sales *now!* More, cheaper, better games, right? Right?

20th January 2005, 10:48 AM	#4
Jon_in_london Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 4,994	Sounds like a fair price for rascism.....
	__________________ Radicals and Racists Don't point your finger at me I'm a small town white boy Just tryin' to make ends meet Don't need your religion Don't watch that much T.V. Just makin' my livin', baby Well that's enough for me