Ted Rall for July 15, 2015
Transcript:
The city of New York has paid $5.9 million to the family of Eric Garner. (Man: I can't breathe.) No cop was charged in his death, and the city denies responsibility. Officially, he died of... whatever. (Man 2: It's just so weird! I hate whatever!!) City officials defend the payout. (an 2: When people die of whatever, they need to know their families will be provided for by the city, which had nothing to do with it.) As do civil rights activists. (Man 3: This sends a message to the vague, sinister whatever: When you mysteriously strangle a black guy, someone else will pay!)
There are two reasons why lawsuits settle—
1.) The defendant(s) want to avoid the risk of a big payoff in the form of court awards and what juries think should be owed to the plaintiff(s), and;
2.) The plantiff(s) accept them because their attorneys don’t think they could get more money out of a possibly long and protracted lawsuit.
The New York City Comptroller’s Office knew what it was doing, here.
All that was needed was for the plaintiff’s estate to agree to it.