The courts do have to assess what someone\’s life was worth in a case like this, though. Like it or not, that\’s the system we have. So in a sense, a judge would have a right to ask that question.
To the child\’s family, it is a question with no fathomable answer. Easy to understand why, of course.
But at what point does the state say \”enough\”? No amount of money is going to bring that child back. So why deplete funds to excess over this case and others like it?
If the state spends all of it\’s money on such cases, where will they get funding to maintain highways, pay government staff, support the school systems, etc. ?
The question, at least MY question isn\’t whether or not the young man\’s life was valuable. To someone, it surely was. My question is… what does the state really \”owe\” the family?
Florida statutes cap a governmental entity\’s liabilty at $100,000 per claim. Each parent had a claim, and thus the $200,000 payment that has been made. A person with a claim seeking more than the statutory cap must have a bill filed in the Legislature, with approval of the payment. The bill typically seeks a specific amount, in this cas $40 mil. The Legislature can reject the claim, reduce the claim as they have done here or approve the amount requested by majority vote. If the Legislature had rejected this bill, the parents recovery would have been capped at the $200k paid. Hope this helps.
Agreed Outraged. This sure sounds like the parents won the lottery. Maybe if the parents were better at parenting their little thug would not have been in jail. If you look at it realistically, the State saved money with this settlement as this little thug would most likely be a carrer criminal and in jail for his entire life and draining the State and taxpayer money. The State shoul dhave sued the parents to collect the money it paid to house the thug.
The vote was 28-6 so obviously the videotape showing what happened must have been pretty graphic in order for a vote like that.
Anyway, it is tragic and who is to say the kid would not have turned his life around. Not all kids that have broken the law at this age turn out to be career criminals.
Come on everyone. We are talking about someone\’s life here. The state got off easy. With this kids credentials, he could have been another O.J. or Pacman Jones or Ray Lewis ……
Steve, I think you are overly harsh. Parents are not perfect, and no matter how much they might try, sometimes our children are not angels. That does not make the child worthless, or unable of love or redemption. Even when our children do not turn out perfect, the loss of that child cannot be measured in dollars. I am a parent who knows this! Please share your crystal ball with us so that we too can have such guaranteed future predictions. That would make life so much easier.
My point was if the the Seante passed the bill to pay $5 mil and the house votes and agrees then the state is giving $5 mil in addition to the $2.5 mil the sherrifs office already paid. The article states, the state is only 25% liable, then they should not be passing legislation with TAX PAYERS MONEY paying more than the responsible party which is the sherrif\’s office. Crist recommened the $5 mil and I am waiting on the Legislature to stand up to this communist! All hail Fidel Crist. He is great at spending everyone else\’s money. Pretty soon insurance in CPIC will be free.
Steve is obviously not a parent nor does he have common sense. This is too much money for this case, regardless of wondering if this kid would have turned his life around or not—the point is, he did not have the chance.
How many of you can say that when you were a pre-teen / teenager you never stole from a store, got into fights with other kids, took your parent\’s car without their permission, mouthed off to teachers, cheated on tests in school… Need I go on? Were you on the path to being a career criminal because you did some or all of these things? Most likely not. Oh, wait, you were a perfect angel who didn\’t have premarital sex, went to church every weekend, volunteered at the local soup kitchen and read to sick kids at the hospital. And please don\’t tell me you are so naive as to believe your own kids aren\’t doing these dumb things today! Should we throw them into Boot Camps where they could be abused and beaten? Perhaps die? Kids do stupid things. It is part of growing up. But his death was completely unncessary. Monetary compesation aside, this didn\’t have to happen.
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The courts do have to assess what someone\’s life was worth in a case like this, though. Like it or not, that\’s the system we have. So in a sense, a judge would have a right to ask that question.
To the child\’s family, it is a question with no fathomable answer. Easy to understand why, of course.
But at what point does the state say \”enough\”? No amount of money is going to bring that child back. So why deplete funds to excess over this case and others like it?
If the state spends all of it\’s money on such cases, where will they get funding to maintain highways, pay government staff, support the school systems, etc. ?
The question, at least MY question isn\’t whether or not the young man\’s life was valuable. To someone, it surely was. My question is… what does the state really \”owe\” the family?
Florida statutes cap a governmental entity\’s liabilty at $100,000 per claim. Each parent had a claim, and thus the $200,000 payment that has been made. A person with a claim seeking more than the statutory cap must have a bill filed in the Legislature, with approval of the payment. The bill typically seeks a specific amount, in this cas $40 mil. The Legislature can reject the claim, reduce the claim as they have done here or approve the amount requested by majority vote. If the Legislature had rejected this bill, the parents recovery would have been capped at the $200k paid. Hope this helps.
Agreed Outraged. This sure sounds like the parents won the lottery. Maybe if the parents were better at parenting their little thug would not have been in jail. If you look at it realistically, the State saved money with this settlement as this little thug would most likely be a carrer criminal and in jail for his entire life and draining the State and taxpayer money. The State shoul dhave sued the parents to collect the money it paid to house the thug.
Well Steve,,,, aren\’t you just a special one!
The vote was 28-6 so obviously the videotape showing what happened must have been pretty graphic in order for a vote like that.
Anyway, it is tragic and who is to say the kid would not have turned his life around. Not all kids that have broken the law at this age turn out to be career criminals.
Come on everyone. We are talking about someone\’s life here. The state got off easy. With this kids credentials, he could have been another O.J. or Pacman Jones or Ray Lewis ……
Steve, I think you are overly harsh. Parents are not perfect, and no matter how much they might try, sometimes our children are not angels. That does not make the child worthless, or unable of love or redemption. Even when our children do not turn out perfect, the loss of that child cannot be measured in dollars. I am a parent who knows this! Please share your crystal ball with us so that we too can have such guaranteed future predictions. That would make life so much easier.
My point was if the the Seante passed the bill to pay $5 mil and the house votes and agrees then the state is giving $5 mil in addition to the $2.5 mil the sherrifs office already paid. The article states, the state is only 25% liable, then they should not be passing legislation with TAX PAYERS MONEY paying more than the responsible party which is the sherrif\’s office. Crist recommened the $5 mil and I am waiting on the Legislature to stand up to this communist! All hail Fidel Crist. He is great at spending everyone else\’s money. Pretty soon insurance in CPIC will be free.
Steve is obviously not a parent nor does he have common sense. This is too much money for this case, regardless of wondering if this kid would have turned his life around or not—the point is, he did not have the chance.
How many of you can say that when you were a pre-teen / teenager you never stole from a store, got into fights with other kids, took your parent\’s car without their permission, mouthed off to teachers, cheated on tests in school… Need I go on? Were you on the path to being a career criminal because you did some or all of these things? Most likely not. Oh, wait, you were a perfect angel who didn\’t have premarital sex, went to church every weekend, volunteered at the local soup kitchen and read to sick kids at the hospital. And please don\’t tell me you are so naive as to believe your own kids aren\’t doing these dumb things today! Should we throw them into Boot Camps where they could be abused and beaten? Perhaps die? Kids do stupid things. It is part of growing up. But his death was completely unncessary. Monetary compesation aside, this didn\’t have to happen.