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There are currently two legal (or semi-legal) movements to secure money from the recent shootings in Muscle Shoals. It's our opinion that any money available from whatever source should go solely to the families of William Mealback and Nick Risner.
The more outrageous claim comes from someone stating she is Sgt. Risner's lawful heir. News flash, honey, you aren't. While most of us are, we hope, appalled by this woman and her claim, the blog has received numerous communications asking us to take up this cause. We've advised this woman (she even has a website) to secure a lawyer if she can find one to take her case. We would doubt that she will find an attorney in the Shoals to represent her, but Alabama is full of ambulance chasers, so unfortunately there may be a lawsuit...which she has .001% chance of winning in Lauderdale County.
Then we have a Sheffield police officer suing Brian Martin for $375,000.00. The issue isn't whether or not this officer deserves the compensation, but is the money there? We suggest it isn't.
While Mr. Martin may have offshore accounts totaling in the millions, this is highly doubtful. What he does have in his name is real estate valued at 84K and perhaps a vehicle or two. Could he have more in another name? Certainly, but he could also have mortgages/loans on the properties we listed. In other words, winning this judgment doesn't mean securing the amount asked for, but could it take any available money away from the Mealback and Risner families?
As far as we know, criminal cases are always heard before civil actions. This means that the judge in the Martin case can rule that any money in the shooter's name will go to Mr. Mealback's daughter and Sgt. Risner's wife to cover any expenses related to the crime.
Tom McCutcheon is representing Max Dotson who filed suit against Martin. It would be very interesting to know his rationale...
A dignified and respectful funeral was what this police officer killed in the line of duty deserved and what was performed. The family deserves sympathy and the outpouring of the community to help in any way possible to alleviate their pain and suffering. Unfortunately, so has sensationalism and incorrect accounts in the media reports, over reacting and calls for violence from some in the ignorant and misguided hateful public, and scams from merchants and grifters in the form of online fundraisers, gun raffles, t-shirts, keyrings, plaques, balloons, and a variety of goods being sold and the monies "supposedly" going to the "family". And the show goes on. Some was political, some was greed and some was just people showing how hateful and hypocritical they could become when given the opportunity. This tragedy brought out the best and absolute worst traits in this community.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention glorifying Max Dotson after his domestic violence conviction.
ReplyDeleteDotson's sentence was expunged after he completed a mental health course for batterers. We do not know what the other charges against him with the civil service board were.
DeleteThe intricacies of human interpersonal relationships always become highlighted in glorious splendor whenever tragedy strikes. Evidently rumors along with rumors of rumors abound so widely that I learn about them from an association hundreds of miles away. Unfortunately such undesirable things try to dim our desire for a more perfect world. Yet these undesirables are fueled by our love for gossip and our thirst for turmoil.
ReplyDeleteSuch nasty things give me pause to inventory my own life. Where have I been one to grasp and feed the beast? I would rather be mistaken for actually caring about those who experienced loss, whether justified by my logic or not. But sometimes morals are not a good check against incorrectness or injustice.
As to the money, the only “winners” in most commonplace legal actions are the bottom feeders of the legal system. The attorneys must have clients to feed themselves, but to what proportion of gain? The court must be funded and will surely take its share in fees and taxation. Even the least extension or delay results in additional legal fees and taxes with no remittance to those being “represented” in the action.
Those million dollar settlements blatantly advertised on so many billboards are almost as rare as a lottery ticket of equal value. In fact, I would dare say many million dollar payouts come from class-action settlements where the only big dollar winners are the law firms. The first sign of trouble can be found by examining the fee arrangement with the law firm representing the plaintiff, unless that law firm sees value in notoriety.
Sgt. Nick Risner is a hero of the community. Nothing can change that fact. The other officers involved in the terrible events of that day are heroes as well. The biggest loser in the entire saga is Sgt. Risner’s daughter. No amount of monetary value can be sufficiently applied to her loss. The adults will feel great pain, but they will heal. Profiteering off the death of Sgt. Risner only adds to his daughter’s loss.