heard Archives - Atlanta Georgia Wrongful Death Lawyer

Judge: Wrongful-death case involving York woman will be heard in Newport News – Daily Press

NEWPORT NEWS — A Newport News Circuit Court judge denied a motion to have the trial involving a $ 2 million wrongful-death lawsuit moved to another city.
The family of Jacquelynn Schwartz filed the lawsuit late last year against medical company Conmed. Schwartz, 31, was found dead in her jail cell July 18, 2011 — three days after she was held in contempt by a Virginia Beach General District Court judge.
Jeff Rosen, an attorney for Conmed, argued that the case be heard in Virginia Beach instead of Newport News because the company doesn’t do substantial business in Newport News. During the Feb. 21 hearing, Rosen said that because Schwartz’s death occurred in Virginia Beach and there are potentially 35 witnesses from Virginia Beach who may testify, that the case should be heard there.

Thomas Albro, one of the attorneys representing the Schwartz family, argued that the company does substantial business in Newport News, which is grounds for the case to be conducted there.

“The court accepts the representation of the plaintiff as to the percentage of business the contract with Conmed for the Newport News City Jail and the Newport News Juvenile Detention Facility represents to Conmed’s business within the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Fisher wrote.
Conmed provides all the healthcare services for the Newport News Correctional Facilities, Fisher noted in his Feb. 22 order.
Schwartz, 31, was found dead in her jail cell July 18, 2011 — three days after she was held in contempt by a Virginia Beach General District Court judge. Schwartz’s husband, David LaClair, is suing Conmed and three nurses it employed. The three nurses were on duty while Schwartz was in the jail’s custody.

By jwj|March 2nd, 2013|News|Comments Off|

Wrongful death suit in Cook slaying could be heard by end of year – The Daily Progress

The attorney representing the brother of the local homemaker fatally shot by an on-duty Culpeper Police officer hopes to have the wrongful death lawsuit in the matter heard by a jury in a Culpeper courtroom by the end of the year.
The estate of Patricia Cook continues to seek $ 5.35 million in the civil complaint filed against ex-cop Daniel Harmon-Wright related to her Feb. 9, 2012 death on East Street.

Last month, a jury found Harmon-Wright guilty of manslaughter and other felony charges, recommending a three-year jail sentence. Now that the criminal proceedings are over, the wrongful death suit can move forward with John Weigler, of Pennsville, N.J., representing his sister’s estate.
Pat Cook’s husband, Gary Cook, originally filed the civil suit, but he died in September of natural causes – seven months after his 54-year-old wife was shot dead in an altercation with Harmon-Wright on East Street.
Weigler’s lawyer, J. Gregory Webb of Charlottesville, said Wednesday that his client and Mrs. Cook’s mother were hoping for a more substantial sentence greater than three years for Harmon-Wright.
“We believe more time would have been appropriate,” Webb said. “The wrongful death case is the continuance of the fight for full responsibility and accountability of Mr. Harmon-Wright and any others that may have been responsible for Mr. Harmon-Wright having a badge and a gun on Feb. 9, 2012.
“He clearly should not have been a police officer, one whose duty is to protect and serve,” Webb added. “Mr. Weigler will continue the mission to hold Mr. Harmon-Wright and others fully accountable and responsible. Mr. Harmon-Wright had his day in court — now Patricia Cook’s family seeks to have its [...]

By jwj|February 10th, 2013|News|Comments Off|