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Catholic diocese settles wrongful-death lawsuit during jury selection in … – Kansas City Star

By JUDY L. THOMAS The Kansas City Star
The Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese has settled a wrongful-death lawsuit for $ 2.25 million with the parents of a boy who allegedly took his own life 30 years ago because of repeated sexual abuse by a Kansas City priest.

File photo Brian Teeman, 14, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in November 1983 at the family’s home in Independence.
File photo by SHANE KEYSER | The Kansas City Star Donald Teeman (from left), Jackie Teeman, Rosemary Teemanand Jon David Couzens held photos of Brian Teeman in September 2011 outside the headquarters of Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph as they announced a new civil lawsuit accusing Msgr. Thomas J. O’Brien of causing Brian Teeman’s death in 1983. A civil trial in the wrongful-death lawsuit begins Monday in Jackson County Circuit Court in Independence.

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The settlement — the largest ever for the diocese in a single priest sexual abuse lawsuit — came on Monday afternoon as jury selection was underway for the trial in Jackson County Circuit Court in Independence.
“This is one of the most significant cases we’ve ever worked on,” said Rebecca Randles, the attorney for Donald and Rosemary Teeman, who filed the lawsuit against the diocese and Monsignor Thomas J. O’Brien in 2011 after a man who served as an altar boy with their son, Brian, told them of the alleged abuse. Brian Teeman, 14, died of a gunshot wound in November 1983 at the family’s home in Independence.
“This allows everyone to put this behind them,” Randles said. “It allows closure at this point in time. And it sends a message that no matter how long ago something like this happens, there [...]

By jwj|July 9th, 2013|News|Comments Off|

Discovery hit with wrongful death lawsuit after woman dies during filming – Fox News

Published June 14, 2013
FoxNews.com

The family of a woman who was killed when pyrotechnics malfunctioned during a TV shoot is suing the Discovery Communications, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Terry Flannel’s family is suing the network because they say she died when a rocket was set off for the filming of the opening scene of “Brother in Arms,” a 2011 pilot that never made it to air. Five individuals were supposed to walk through a cloud of smoke for the scene, but the effects malfunctioned and hit Flannel, killing her.
Her husband, Melvin Bernstein was set to appear in the pilot alongside his wife. He and other family members filed the wrongful death lawsuit.
The lawsuit, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, charges that the network used unsafe special effects.
“Discovery and Anthropic utilized two pyrotechnic devices that Discovery and Anthropic knew had not been manufactured by a licensed and experienced manufacturer of pyrotechnic devices.”
The family adds that the show did not have the proper permits to perform the effects.
“Neither Discovery nor Anthropic had sought or obtained any permit from the proper governmental authority authorizing the use of pyrotechnic devices during the production of the ‘Brother in Arms’ pilot.”
A rep for Discovery declined FOX 411’s request for a comment on the lawsuit.

By jwj|June 14th, 2013|News|Comments Off|