Lawsuit coming......

[OSUCOWBOYS]

Best Buy will be sued for causing this death, just watch....



Fleeing shoplifting suspect killed when hit by cars


By STAFF REPORTS
2/7/2008 9:43 PM
Last Modified: 2/7/2008 11:08 PM


A person was killed Thursday evening when he ran into traffic on U.S. 169 while fleeing from store employees who had caught him apparently trying to shoplift, Tulsa police said.

The man or boy -- his age was not immediately known -- had been attempting to shoplift in the Best Buy store at 71st Street and U.S. 169 when store employees noticed and tried to stop him, Sgt. Mark Watson said.

He ran out an emergency exit on the east side of the store, and the employees chased him, Watson said. He jumped a fence and ran through a ditch and into southbound traffic on the highway.

Watson said he was struck by one vehicle and tossed into the air. When he landed, another vehicle ran over him.

Multiple people reported the accident about 8:45 p.m. He was dead when emergency responders arrived.

Police shut off access to southbound U.S. 169 at the Broken Arrow Expressway and at 51st and 61st streets.

Tulsa World: Fleeing shoplifting suspect killed when hit by cars

 

[crazyl]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

The employees shouldn't have chased him once he left store property, and that's assuming they were actual store bodyguards and not cashiers or stock people. I'm not sure the law on this though.

 

[OSUCOWBOYS]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

The employees shouldn't have chased him once he left store property, and that's assuming they were actual store bodyguards and not cashiers or stock people. I'm not sure the law on this though.

The parents will get at least a six figure settlement.

 

[texansfan]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

Why? Shoplifters run all the time, some are caught, some are not. People flee in vehicles from the police and kill innocent victims and get jail time for it. The store can chase someone on foot if they want. It's not the stores fault that idiot ran into traffic.

His family won't get anything from this.

 

[pvcpipe]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

maybe, maybe not.

 

[texansfan]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

No way. If you chase a burglar from your home and he gets hit by a vehicle in the street you will not get sued. Trust me, the store has every right to try and detain the suspect and recover their property.

 

[OSUCOWBOYS]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

PITTSBURGH --
A high-speed, late-afternoon police pursuit that spanned just a couple of blocks in Homewood had a deadly ending -- and now, two years later, the city of Pittsburgh is being sued.
Police said Michelle Rankin, 35, of Wilkinsburg, and Jerome Smith, 34, of Stanton Heights, were killed when their car was rammed by a fleeing pickup truck that had blown through a traffic light at North Lang Avenue and Bennett Street on May 25, 2006.
Six other people, including some children, were injured and taken to Pittsburgh hospitals, police said.
The truck had slowed down when an unmarked police car tried to pull it over for broken taillights, but it then sped away and was followed until it crashed into the other car, police said.
Although police were cleared of any wrongdoing, attorney Alan Perer filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of the victims' families, who he said are struggling financially.
Perer said there is "good evidence" that police acted unwisely when they chased the truck at a time of day when traffic was heavy and children were playing outside.
The deadly results of the pursuit "might have been expected. It would have been almost certain that a high-speed chase would involve innocent bystanders and cause serious injury or death," Perer said in a statement.
At the time, then-police Chief Dom Costa said that the pursuing officers had "activated the red-and-blue lights of the vehicle and tapped the siren."
But on Wednesday, Perer said witness reports had raised questions about whether that was true. He also questioned the distance of the pursuit, and whether the police used their radio to get permission to chase.
"There have to be proper procedure and precautions taken, so that in the course of their doing their job, innocent people's lives are not taken," Perer said.
Homewood's social status also played a part in the incident, according to the lawyer.
"A car chase like this would never have happened in a more affluent area of the city," Perer said.
The suit was filed after attempts to reach a settlement with the city failed, Perer said.
Smith left five children behind and Rankin was a mother of two.
Rankin's daughter, Lakeisha, was studying business at Community College of Allegheny County when her mother died. She dropped out of school and got a job to provide for her younger brother.
"With her not being here, life is hell," Lakeisha Rankin said. "It's hard for me to talk about it because it really tears me up."
City officials have not commented on the lawsuit.
The driver of the pickup truck -- Devon Miles, 21 -- pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and is serving a prison sentence of 10-to-20 years.


Pittsburgh Sued Over Fatal Police Chase: Top News Stories at Officer.com

 

[Flamingo kid]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

No way. If you chase a burglar from your home and he gets hit by a vehicle in the street you will not get sued. Trust me, the store has every right to try and detain the suspect and recover their property.

Isn't that called vigilante justice?

 

[OSUCOWBOYS]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

Isn't that called vigilante justice?

The lawsuit is coming.............. :bank:

 

[Flamingo kid]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

The lawsuit is coming.............. :bank:

:+money-8+

 

[Sound of Silence]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

Since when is chasing someone against the law?

 

[OSUCOWBOYS]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

May 6 -- "Robber sues clerk who shot him during holdup". Muncie, Ind.: "A convicted robber is suing the convenience store clerk who shot him as he fled after a holdup. Willie Brown, 44, claimed the clerk acted 'maliciously and sadistically' in firing five shots as Brown ran out of Zipps Deli with money from the store's cash register." Brown, who was struck by bullets in the back and side, pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced to four years in prison. His earlier convictions included one for robbery and two for burglary. (AP/Indianapolis Star, Apr. 18). And in Great Britain, "Government lawyers trying to keep the Norfolk farmer Tony Martin behind bars will tell a High Court judge tomorrow that burglars are members of the public who must be protected from violent householders." (Robert Verkaik, "Government lawyers say burglars 'need protection'", The Independent (UK), May 5). Plus: in Bentonville, Ark., inmate Kenneth J. Lewis II is suing Nina Baugh for $140,000 in damages; according to affidavits, Lewis was shot by Baugh after he attempted to burglarize her family's pawn shop and another business. Lewis was sentenced in January to 12 years' imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to commercial burglary and aggravated assault (Tracy M. Neal, "Convicted burglar sues woman who shot him during crime", Benton County Daily Record, Apr. 19). [SIZE=-2](DURABLE LINK)[/SIZE]

Overlawyered.com archives May 2003 pt. I

 

[Flamingo kid]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

Since when is chasing someone against the law?

Its not, but if that person you are chasing gets killed because he's running from you, than you are a murderer.

Kapish?:LMAO

 

[texansfan]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

Its not, but if that person you are chasing gets killed because he's running from you, than you are a murderer.

Kapish?:LMAO

I'm hoping from the laughing little guy you're joking. If you're serious then you are really delusional about how life really works.

OSU, what's the point of bringing up those lawsuits? You can sue anyone, anytime in this country for practically any reason. Just because you sue someone doesn't mean you will actually win the case.

 

[Flamingo kid]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

I'm hoping from the laughing little guy you're joking. If you're serious then you are really delusional about how life really works.

OSU, what's the point of bringing up those lawsuits? You can sue anyone, anytime in this country for practically any reason. Just because you sue someone doesn't mean you will actually win the case.

With all your law expertise, not to mention your uncanny ability to view a person's face on tv and know if they are lying or not, you seem to be an expert on how life really works. Tell me oh wise one, how does life work. :LMAO

 

[texansfan]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

With all your law expertise, not to mention your uncanny ability to view a person's face on tv and know if they are lying or not, you seem to be an expert on how life really works. Tell me oh wise one, how does life work. :LMAO

Let me guess, you're under 25 right? Didn't you already ask this question? I already answered it. Please tell me you were joking when you made that staement or you are dumber than I believe you to be.

 

[chandler1981]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

I do agree, there will probably be a lawsuit comming. I don't think many judges or juries would allow the "victim" to win this case. If he didn't rob the store, he would not have been chased. It's sad that these cases are twisted away from the facts and the suspect's family becomes the plantiff(victim), but the store was originally the victim.

With that said, the way the world is going I wouldn't bet on them seeing the truth in the situation.

Its sad to say the least.

 

[Seymour]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

I highly doubt there will be an lawsuit - if there is - Best Buy rolls the dice - let's see a jury award a shoplifter's estate money - it would take me three seconds to decide in BB's favor - and then the family is paying all attorney's fees.

 

[texansfan]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

I do agree, there will probably be a lawsuit comming. I don't think many judges or juries would allow the "victim" to win this case. If he didn't rob the store, he would not have been chased. It's sad that these cases are twisted away from the facts and the suspect's family becomes the plantiff(victim), but the store was originally the victim.

With that said, the way the world is going I wouldn't bet on them seeing the truth in the situation.

Its sad to say the least.

I'm sure there will be a lawsuit and it all depends on the jury or judge. Remember the lady in Cali who won millions after spilling McDonalds coffee on herself? She claimed the coffee was too hot and won.

It never looks good when a suspect runs. It makes the person look guilty. One thing you must keep in mind though is did the suspect actually leave the store with stolen property. A person, at least in Texas, can conceal merchandise on their person with the thought of stealing it and no go forward with it. If they do not make the attempt to exit the store with the property they cannot be charged with shoplifting.

As I stated earlier, the store has every right to recover their property. Security guards or the stores loss prevention officers have every right to chase after anyone who steals their property and leaves the store.

 

[Journeyman]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

I highly doubt there will be an lawsuit - if there is - Best Buy rolls the dice - let's see a jury award a shoplifter's estate money - it would take me three seconds to decide in BB's favor - and then the family is paying all attorney's fees.

There would be no fee's and you know it, any attorney who takes that case would do so with the agreement that he must win it to be paid.

Terrible story though and I didnt think you could chase someone once they left the store?

 

[texansfan]

Re: Lawsuit coming......

Terrible story though and I didnt think you could chase someone once they left the store?

Sure you can. Why not? That would make it like once you got outside they have to let you go. You don't actually have a theft until you leave the store with the property J-man. That's why they are supposed to wait until they begin to exit the store before you stop them.

If you own a jewelry store and someone grabs property worth thousands of dollars and runs, you aren't going to chase them?