why can't Companies and government admit fault?

[dawp]

it just annoys the hell out of me when they settle lawsuits that they were obviously at fault, pay a sizable settlement and can't say they were wrong. and people wonders why no one will take responsibility.

Susan Halatyn, of the city's Law Department, said the city agreed to the $2 million settlement "rather than incur additional costs with a lengthy trial." It did so "without any admission of liability," Halatyn said.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_...a_cop_wakeup_call.html

 

[Nebor]

Because if they admit liability the next person they screw over has a much easier court battle to get their $2m.

 

[CanOWorms]

Only $2 million? Should have been $200 million. What happened was inexcusable. The police officers should be in jail.

 

[PokerGuy]

Sadly, the way the legal system is set up, honesty is punished. If the city admitted fault, it would open itself up to additional suits. This way, anyone else considering filing suit regarding the same incident will need to go through another long and expensive process.

Originally posted by: CanOWorms
Only $2 million? Should have been $200 million. What happened was inexcusable. The police officers should be in jail.

I agree. A $200 million verdict along with criminal charges for anyone intentionally involved in arresting the protestors using trumped up charges should help send a message to help keep civil liberties from getting trampled on.

 

[dawp]

I just think it's BS. in criminal cases, you have to admit guilt, even if there is evidence you didn't don't do the crime, if you ever want to be considered for parole.

and that $2m isn't didley squat, should have been 1/2b. make the city really hurt.

 

[wwswimming]

http://www.phillipsandcohen.co...orthrop_Jun_9_2003.asp

Northrop Grumman paid $111 million to the government to settle
a fraud case.

""TRW could have settled the case five years ago for about one-quarter of what it ended up paying," said Eric Havian, a San Francisco attorney with Phillips & Cohen LLP, which is representing the whistleblower. "Instead it chose to engage in a drawn-out, losing battle that proved very costly for the company. The more we looked at company records, the more fraud we uncovered."

interestingly - the same division, TRW Space - had ANOTHER fraud lawsuit
involving scientist Nira Schwartz. who was working on missile defense.

i worked for TRW-Northrop Grumman for 8 years. my guess is, the
Bagley case (the one settled for $111 million, where Northrop Grumman,
who bought TRW, "admits no wrong-doing") also involved missile defense
related fraud.

 

[Mark R]

2 aspects:

Admit that you were wrong, and if it happens again then whoever gets sued can't win (that may be you, or it may be someone else). If you don't let something get to court, then you don't set a precedent. In large organisations or government, there is a potential problem, in that managers down the food chain may get ideas above their station and destroy the organisation. So, here' we have NYC - but who was at fault? Was it the Mayor, the Chief of police, or some captain who had an anger management problem.

Legal process is way too expensive - if you can stop it before you can get to court, it may be worth settling even where you are not at fault. Alternatively, if you are wrong, you have to fork out legal costs that will eat you alive, as well as potentially have to pay the other side's costs, plus damages. Other side, is also motivated not to let it get to court, as they have to pay their own legal fees.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: CanOWorms
Only $2 million? Should have been $200 million. What happened was inexcusable. The police officers should be in jail.

The money just went to all the lawyers involved.

People shoukd thank these real Americans for fighting for the Constitution.

This should be front page news.

Sadly it is a foot note.

 

[bbdub333]

Originally posted by: dawp

and that $2m isn't didley squat, should have been 1/2b. make the city really hurt.

You do realize where that money comes from, right?

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

It's fundamentally a plea bargain. This is how our system works with both criminals and criminal corporations. Accept a lesser penalty and avoid the full impact of the charges placed against you. This shouldn't be an eye-opener for the OP.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: bbdub333

Originally posted by: dawp

and that $2m isn't didley squat, should have been 1/2b. make the city really hurt.

You do realize where that money comes from, right?

Voters. And with a big enough amount the voters will take notice and elect new people. But in this case its gets settled and swept under the rug and very few see it, at least enough to vote new people in.

 

[dawp]

Originally posted by: bbdub333

Originally posted by: dawp

and that $2m isn't didley squat, should have been 1/2b. make the city really hurt.

You do realize where that money comes from, right?

of course, and like Marlin said, it may get the votes attention.

 

[Psynaut]

What is the basis for the new mindset in American law enforcement for these unconstitutional tactics? Is it a political party thing? conservative republicans, or a religious thing among fundamentalist Christians, or are they just a bunch of angry bullies with cowboy complexes and authority? I mean, who is it that wants to undermine the constitution and take away peoples civil rights and constitutional freedoms? What is the motivation for this and who is behind it?

 

[Darwin333]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: bbdub333

Originally posted by: dawp

and that $2m isn't didley squat, should have been 1/2b. make the city really hurt.

You do realize where that money comes from, right?

Voters. And with a big enough amount the voters will take notice and elect new people. But in this case its gets settled and swept under the rug and very few see it, at least enough to vote new people in.

Exactly which programs should that 500B come out of? Education? Health Care? Public Transportation?

 

[dawp]

Originally posted by: Darwin333

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: bbdub333

Originally posted by: dawp

and that $2m isn't didley squat, should have been 1/2b. make the city really hurt.

You do realize where that money comes from, right?

Voters. And with a big enough amount the voters will take notice and elect new people. But in this case its gets settled and swept under the rug and very few see it, at least enough to vote new people in.

Exactly which programs should that 500B come out of? Education? Health Care? Public Transportation?

police budget, since they caused the problem.

and that's 500m, not 500b. slight difference there.

 

[Darwin333]

Originally posted by: Psynaut
What is the basis for the new mindset in American law enforcement for these unconstitutional tactics? Is it a political party thing? conservative republicans, or a religious thing among fundamentalist Christians, or are they just a bunch of angry bullies with cowboy complexes and authority? I mean, who is it that wants to undermine the constitution and take away peoples civil rights and constitutional freedoms? What is the motivation for this and who is behind it?

Just my opinion, but it seems to be a national trend of the police using more force and assuming they have more power than they have.

Did you read about the no-knock the police did to that mayor?? If that would have been joe blow I doubt we would have heard a thing about it so it makes one wonder how often things like that really happen. To compound the problem, individual cops are rarely prosecuted for abusing peoples rights. They might lose their jobs but rarely are they brought up on charges like you or I would.

Example

If that would have been any of us they would have piled on charges including attempted murder of a police officer when he drove off and clipped the CCC officer.