Bonds 73rd homerun ball.. Ruling is both men own it

[Storm]

I just saw the verdict on courtv man it took like an hour for the judge to read his verdict
because he was explaining everything about possession, intent to possess etc. Ultimately
since the video or the witnesses could not explain how the ball got dislodged from Alex Popov who intially had it, he ruled that both had an equal right to possession. As a result since its 50/50
they must decide upon how to sell it and split the proceeds equally.

Looking for the courtv transcript and web news link

Edit
Verdict Link
Trial Coverage

Still looking to find the actual transcript of the judges decision he went into the idea of possession extensively. Im not surprised they had a panel of 4 prestigious law professors discuss possession and they all disagreed on some points heh.

 

[Viper GTS]

It's not a catch unless you have control of it...

Viper GTS

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
It's not a catch unless you have control of it...

Viper GTS

I agree 100%.

As to the verdict...heh, it sounds like a divorce ruling!!!! "Since you can't decide, I'll decide for you. Sell the house and split the proceeds 50-50.

 

[mpitts]

So it lands in your glove and 50 people converge on you and take it?

He did catch it. It was taken from him after in the pile.

 

[brxndxn]

I think the judge is trying to pull a 'Solomon'...

Solomon: "And now, I will cut the baseball in half. And, each of you will get a half."

Guy #1: "That's fine with me."

Guy #2: "No!!! No, don't cut my baby in half!!!"

Solomon: "Guy #2, since you have shown proper love for the ball. The ball is yours."

Guy #1: "Well, I didn't want the ball anyway. I'd have to take care of it and that would be a burden. Instead, I'm going to get a beer."

Guy #2: "My precious! My precious!"

Narrator: And then they all proceeded out of the courtroom and accross the street to their homes. And Guy #2 tripped and fouled his ball. A passerby caught the ball and declared it his. But then, the MLS came and declared it theirs. And they wiped everyones' baseball memories to preserve their intellectual property.

 

[dman]

Originally posted by: MichaelD

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
It's not a catch unless you have control of it...

Viper GTS

I agree 100%.

As to the verdict...heh, it sounds like a divorce ruling!!!! "Since you can't decide, I'll decide for you. Sell the house and split the proceeds 50-50.

Ugh. Next time your at the game and want the ball, just force a fumble. It's ok.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: MichaelD

Originally posted by: Viper GTS It's not a catch unless you have control of it...

Viper GTS

I agree 100%. As to the verdict...heh, it sounds like a divorce ruling!!!! "Since you can't decide, I'll decide for you. Sell the house and split the proceeds 50-50.

That's how divorce works but i wanted to get rid of my two timing Ex-beeeitch so bad I gave here 75% of our assets

Ausm

 

[BruinEd03]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
It's not a catch unless you have control of it...

Viper GTS

Uh...didn't the guy have control of it...and the other dude punched him to get the ball? Wasn't that what the whole thing was about?

-Ed

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: ausm

Originally posted by: MichaelD

Originally posted by: Viper GTS It's not a catch unless you have control of it...

Viper GTS

I agree 100%. As to the verdict...heh, it sounds like a divorce ruling!!!! "Since you can't decide, I'll decide for you. Sell the house and split the proceeds 50-50.

That's how divorce works but i wanted to get rid of my two timing Ex-beeeitch so bad I gave here 75% of our assets

Ausm

Always why i say marraige is like a tornado, both start with a lot of sucking and blowing, but in the end you lose your house.

 

[Ne0]

Video Footage (Realplayer)

 

[jaydee]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
It's not a catch unless you have control of it...

Viper GTS

Were both feet in bounds?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I'll be curious what the ball ultimately sells for - my guess is that it will be considerably less than Todd McFarlane paid for the McGwire #70 ball. Barry Bonds is such a joyless zombie personally that I imagine it will never have the cachet that McGwire's ball had at the time, since he was so gentlemanly and respectful of the record, unlike the consistently bored-looking Bonds. You have to feel for McFarlane, who invested a huge amount (I seem to recall it was $5M) in something that is now worth $100K at the outside.

 

[spanky]

sucks for the guy who caught it and then got mobbed.

 

[mpitts]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito
I'll be curious what the ball ultimately sells for - my guess is that it will be considerably less than Todd McFarlane paid for the McGwire #70 ball. Barry Bonds is such a joyless zombie personally that I imagine it will never have the cachet that McGwire's ball had at the time, since he was so gentlemanly and respectful of the record, unlike the consistently bored-looking Bonds. You have to feel for McFarlane, who invested a huge amount (I seem to recall it was $5M) in something that is now worth $100K at the outside.

Macfarlane paid around $3 million for the McGwire ball. The Bonds ball has been appraised at $1 million, and I don't know if it will bring that much.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: BruinEd03

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
It's not a catch unless you have control of it...

Viper GTS

Uh...didn't the guy have control of it...and the other dude punched him to get the ball? Wasn't that what the whole thing was about?

-Ed

Looks like he needs to borrow Bonds bat and get his half back

 

[tarheelmm]

What ever happened to possession being 9/10's of the law?

 

[mpitts]

Originally posted by: tarheelmm
What ever happened to possession being 9/10's of the law?

That was the problem with the case.

What defines possession?

 

[spanky]

Originally posted by: tarheelmm
What ever happened to possession being 9/10's of the law?

yep... the other 1/10 is a kick and a punch and maybe a bite.

 

[Aceshigh]

I think it's totally wrong. The man caught it and then was basically mugged for it. Crap like that is shameful. People acting like monkeys instead of human beings. The guy who caught it should get total possession of it. Period.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: mpitts

Originally posted by: Don_Vito
I'll be curious what the ball ultimately sells for - my guess is that it will be considerably less than Todd McFarlane paid for the McGwire #70 ball. Barry Bonds is such a joyless zombie personally that I imagine it will never have the cachet that McGwire's ball had at the time, since he was so gentlemanly and respectful of the record, unlike the consistently bored-looking Bonds. You have to feel for McFarlane, who invested a huge amount (I seem to recall it was $5M) in something that is now worth $100K at the outside.

Macfarlane paid around $3 million for the McGwire ball. The Bonds ball has been appraised at $1 million, and I don't know if it will bring that much.

D'oh!

 

[tarheelmm]

Originally posted by: mpitts

Originally posted by: tarheelmm
What ever happened to possession being 9/10's of the law?

That was the problem with the case.

What defines possession?

The last one standing wins. The dude that walked away with the ball owns it. End of story.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: tarheelmm

Originally posted by: mpitts

Originally posted by: tarheelmm
What ever happened to possession being 9/10's of the law?

That was the problem with the case.

What defines possession?

The last one standing wins. The dude that walked away with the ball owns it. End of story.

Of course, by that argument a mugger is the true owner of his victim's wallet.

 

[mpitts]

Originally posted by: tarheelmm

Originally posted by: mpitts

Originally posted by: tarheelmm
What ever happened to possession being 9/10's of the law?

That was the problem with the case.

What defines possession?

The last one standing wins. The dude that walked away with the ball owns it. End of story.

Right. So let's say the guy was sitting in a seat and caught the ball. You are saying it would be OK to jump on him and tear it out of his hand and that then it would become your property?

 

[tarheelmm]

Originally posted by: mpitts

Originally posted by: tarheelmm

Originally posted by: mpitts

Originally posted by: tarheelmm
What ever happened to possession being 9/10's of the law?

That was the problem with the case.

What defines possession?

The last one standing wins. The dude that walked away with the ball owns it. End of story.

Right. So let's say the guy was sitting in a seat and caught the ball. You are saying it would be OK to jump on him and tear it out of his hand and that then it would become your property?

Looking at the footage these guys were both going after the ball. In a situation like that, the guy that comes up with it is the winner. I am not going to wait twenty minutes then go and jump the guy for the ball. If he was the only one going for the ball I look at it as a different story. If he was the only one in the area at the time then came walking towards me and I snag it, that is wrong.
You are looking at stealing one thing and claiming something that is up for grabs.

 

[mpitts]

Originally posted by: tarheelmm

Originally posted by: mpitts

Originally posted by: tarheelmm

Originally posted by: mpitts

Originally posted by: tarheelmm
What ever happened to possession being 9/10's of the law?

That was the problem with the case.

What defines possession?

The last one standing wins. The dude that walked away with the ball owns it. End of story.

Right. So let's say the guy was sitting in a seat and caught the ball. You are saying it would be OK to jump on him and tear it out of his hand and that then it would become your property?

Looking at the footage these guys were both going after the ball. In a situation like that, the guy that comes up with it is the winner. I am not going to wait twenty minutes then go and jump the guy for the ball. If he was the only one going for the ball I look at it as a different story. If he was the only one in the area at the time then came walking towards me and I snag it, that is wrong.
You are looking at stealing one thing and claiming something that is up for grabs.

I have watched the footage. He caught the ball. Wouldn't that constitute possession? How is catching the ball in a crowd any different than catching it in your seat? Does being in a crowd make it OK for someone to use violence or force to seperate you from the ball?