CONWAY, AR - Misdeeds by a disgraced Arkansas judge have coming to
light as a family that lost a loved one in a central Arkansas nursing
home plans to sue.
A family whose jury-awarded settlement was cut by former Judge Mike Maggio is planning to go back to court.
In
March allegations were made that campaign donations by the owner of
nursing homes around the state were in exchange for the reduced jury
verdict in a negligence case.
The attention to
Maggio began when an Arkansas blog called "Blue Hog Report" revealed the
former Judge was the person behind posts revealing a confidential
adoption by actress Charlize Theron.
After a judicial investigation, Maggio was stripped of his judgeship by the Judicial Discipline & Disability Commission.
The
attorney for the family filed the lawsuit Tuesday (11/18) naming three
defendants including Maggio as well as five additional unnamed
defendants.
The suit outlined a previous
wrongful death suit, the decisions made by Maggio that corresponded with
donations by the defendant in that case that's also a defendant in the
latest suit.
Now the family wants money they say they're owed.
The
lawsuit filed in Faulkner County by the attorney for the family of
Martha Bull, who died in a Greenbrier nursing home, claims Maggio
received campaign contributions that influenced his decision in the
case.
After the 2013 trial a jury awarded Bull's estate $5.2 million.
The defendant in that case, Michael Morton, appealed the amount and Maggio later lowered it to $1 million.
The
lawsuit points out that Morton, on the day of the ruling, donated $21k
to different political action committees, which were all believed to be
funneled to Maggio's campaign for Appellate Judge.
The family claims Morton intended to reduce the jury verdict.
Their
lawsuit names Maggio and Morton along with Gilbert Baker, who allegedly
acted as an agent for Maggio soliciting campaign contributions.
The
family has asked for punitive damages as a result of "judicial
corruption and having been denied their constitutional rights".
We spoke to the family earlier this year when they first learned of the claims.
Rosey Perkins said, "To most of us it didn't seem right but we're just a family that tries to take care of ourselves."
Full Article & Source:
Lawsuit Claims Campaign Contributions Influenced Ruling by Former Judge Mike Maggio
1 comment:
I hope this family wins!
Campaign contributions should be looked at by everybody!
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