Penn State Officials, Including Paterno, Could Face Civil Lawsuits

[alp227]

Source: NYT

It may take years, but Penn State, its administrators and possibly even the former coach Joe Paterno could be the targets of civil lawsuits seeking extensive monetary damages once the criminal case against a former assistant coach is concluded, trial lawyers with experience in similar cases said Friday.

“People say there might eventually be 20 victims identified in this case, but who knows if the number might not be 200?” said Michael Dowd, a New York lawyer who has represented hundreds of child abuse clients. “The damages sought could total $100 million.”

Other lawyers with experience in civil lawsuits agreed that Penn State was vulnerable because it appeared to have had warnings that the former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was suspected of preying on children and did not meaningfully act to prevent it.

“The damage to the victims is so profound — pain, suffering and perhaps lifetime injuries — that juries usually are unbridled as to how to calculate the damages,” said Harold Goodman, a Philadelphia lawyer who has represented multiple clients in similar cases. “The damages are likely to be immense.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/12/sports/ncaafootball/penn-state-officials-including-paterno-could-face-civil-lawsuits.html

[jaysunb]

1. Duh !!!!! n/t

[TheDebbieDee]

2. Lol ! I came in here to post exactly the same thing.............

[snagglepuss]

3. Hopefully victim 2 is still alive and this possibility will encourage him to come .

forward.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. In other news, water is wet.

JoePA has done estate planning at his age. Those same tools make him pretty close to judgement proof. At least that is the story my lawyer gave me when I did it, and I am much younger than 83.

[coalition_unwilling]

5. OT somewhat, but don't you love how the NYTimes hedges its bets? The

parties 'could be the targets of civil lawsuits.' Duh, you think? OTOH, they might not be. So best to cover all bases with the decidedly namby-pamby 'could'.

No need for simple unambiguous declaratives, such as the parties "will be the targets . . ."

coulda, woulda, shoulda -- the three most popular phrases heard in Vegas but not really appropriate for strong writing, imho.

[MADem]

7. Well, "will" is just not true. The school could very cleverly and cynically

reach out to the victims with generous offers and settle quickly--there would be no lawsuit in that case.

The school could also hire a hitman, who would arrange accidents for all the victims resulting in their deaths and rendering it impossible for them to sue--not bloody likely, but like Judy Tenuda used to say "It could happen!"

You've got to use "could" when you don't know for a certainty--and if the school gets proactive and settles, there will be no suits.

[divineorder]

8. Settlements are only possible if you know how many there are

And predators like Sandusky, with travel privileges and plenty of money, may have hundreds of victims, through his foundation, travel, and access to perhaps some underage students. For I feel that's going to be another shoe that drops. It's already established that he went after high school students-how many eventually went to Penn State? If that's the case, the school's liability is definitely glued on, since they knew he was sketchy and had sketchy relations with children.

Even if Paterno may be judgement-proof, the school isn't, and victims could attach funds from say, books written by him, rights to his image, whatever. If I were Penn State, I would hold off on that Memorial building just yet if the funds haven't already been raised. They will need the money.

In addition, as more and more come forward one way or another, the value of Paterno-more importantly his legacy,is going to plummet. Doubtless the school was counting on a generous gift and making money off of his image long after he passed away. That's tarnished now for millions. What remains is that he was the enabler-possibly knowingly-of a violent pedophile who preyed on children. So except for some devoted alumni, no Paterno shirts, memorial books, or trinkets like keychains will be sellable. Sales like that from a university bookstore or gift shop make more than people realize. How many people wear shirts from a college they don't go to?

And the college doesn't have anywhere near the money the Catholic Church does, with generations of bequeathed assets and millions of acres of property.

[MADem]

9. Maybe Sandusky kept a list, and checked it twice--like Evil Santa?

Maybe he's confessed his sins, in excruciating, play-by-play fashion, to the Board? Or he's about to, so his wife can get an annuity while he rots in jail?

We just don't know. Stranger things have happened.

Actually, he went after MIDDLE school students--the eleven to thirteen year old crowd. He's a sick SOB.

I do agree that the school has been, well, fucked--and fucked for a long time, if not eternity-- by these assholes, no matter what happens--be it criminal lawsuits in open court, civil lawsuits, or quiet settlements. I don't see them shaking the "Pedo State" moniker for some time.

[MADem]

6. Good thing that football program rakes in seventy million and change a year--they'll need it

to make the payoffs!