Most Vengeful Verdict: Prosecutor Secures Guilty Verdict in Murder Trial, Hit in Head with Water Pitcher
Dameon Leathers was found guilty of first degree murder and, apparently dissatisfied with the ruling, he attacked the prosecutor in the courtroom with a water pitcher, according to an article from Oklahoma News 4. Tulsa County Assistant District Attorney Kevin Gray was sitting at a table in front of the Leathers during the reading of the verdict before being struck twice. “This is the second time a prosecutor has been hit with a water pitcher in the courtroom, so officials say the pitchers will no longer be allowed in courtrooms,” according to the article.
Most Foul-Mouthed Verdict: Ex-criminal Defendant Turned Lawyer Wins Damages After Ex-attorney
Donald Glassman, a criminal defendant who later became an attorney, won a $280,000 verdict against his former lawyer after accusing his old counselor of calling him an unstable “a-hole” and “dangerous jerk," according to an article from the New York Law Journal. Robert Feldman was found to have breached his contract, committed legal malpractice and defamed Glassman. The suit, filed in 2009, was delayed when Feldman filed for bankruptcy, although that case was thrown out for being filed in bad faith.
Most Ground-Breaking Verdict: $157M Same-sex Tobacco Verdict First of Its Kind in Florida, Maybe U.S.
A $157 million jury verdict against Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco was likely the first of its kind, as it allowed a plaintiff to sue for damages on his partner’s behalf even though the law calls for couples to be married prior to any tobacco related illnesses, according to an article from the Daily Business Review. Attorneys from the Schlesinger Law Offices won the verdict for Bryan Rintoul, who brought suit after his husband, Edward Caprio, died in 2018. The couple had been together since the 1970s, but could not wed until same-sex marriage was legalized in 2015. Broward Circuit Judge David A. Haimes made an exception claiming it would be unconstitutional to deny the lawsuit from proceeding.
Most Record-Breaking Verdict: Jury Awards Mom Record-setting Damages After Son Born with Brain Damage
An Illinois jury awarded a record-breaking $101 million verdict against the West Suburban Medical Center as its staff allegedly failed to monitor a pregnant woman, Tequila Snow, who came to its emergency room concerned about her baby, according to an article from a CBS 2 Chicago. The child, Gerald Sallis, has severe brain damage. Sallis can’t talk or walk and requires around-the-clock care. Allegedly, his oxygen levels went unchecked for six hours, causing the brain damage.
Most Spicy Verdict: Sriracha Losses to Former Farmers Upheld As Legal Battle Likely to Rage On
Jalapeño grower Underwood Ranches survived an attempt to overturn a $23.3 million verdict against Sriracha maker Huy Fong Food, according to an article from the VC Star. A civil jury found the hot sauce producer broke its contract and committed fraud by ending its nearly three-decade contract with the grower. Underwood Ranches once grew close to 2,000 acres worth of the hot pepper for Huy Fong Food. An appeal is planned.