Latest news with #wrongfuldeath
CBC
3 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
Wrongful death lawsuit filed in Edmonton boxing death settled as calls for reform continue
A $5.3-million wrongful death lawsuit launched in the wake of a fatal boxing match in Edmonton in 2017 was quietly settled with the fighter's family four years after it was filed, CBC News has learned. The family of fighter Tim Hague filed the lawsuit in 2019, alleging that the authorities responsible for his safety failed to protect him. The suit was formally dismissed in the Court of King's Bench in September 2023. Hague, 34, suffered a fatal knockout on June 16, 2017, during a boxing match licensed by the Edmonton Combative Sports Commission. He walked from the ring but lapsed into a coma and was taken off life support two days later. Hague had suffered a brain bleed and a subdural hematoma. After his death, he was diagnosed with early stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative disease caused by repetitive head trauma. Hague's death renewed calls for Alberta to establish a centralized combat commission with sweeping recommendations for regulatory reform continue to reverberate throughout the fight community. Court documents obtained by CBC News shed light on the legal battle that attempted to hold someone accountable for his death. The lawsuit alleged gross negligence and named 11 parties, including the City of Edmonton and its combative sports commission. The allegations of negligence contained in the suit had been contested by all parties. Court records from the settlement proceedings show the Hague estate was awarded just over $116,000. After legal fees, Hague's surviving parents and his only child were left with just shy of $65,000. The family and their lawyer, Ari Schacter of Assiff Law, declined to comment. Erik Magraken, a personal injury and combat sports regulatory lawyer in B.C., said with the case now settled, it's time for action. An independent review into Hague's death, along with a public fatality inquiry, recommended the formation of a provincial commission to regulate all fights, but the provincial government has yet to move forward. "The time for finger pointing is now over," Magraken said. "The real thing to focus on is, have lessons been learned so that tragedies like this are less likely? "I'm just hoping lessons can be learned from Mr. Hague's tragedy because that's all that's left to do." A settlement reached A sworn affidavit from Ian Hague, Tim Hague's brother, said the family opted to settle due, in part, to concerns over the financial strain of legal costs if the lawsuit was to fail at trial. According to court documents, there were concerns about how an alleged injury Hague may have suffered days before the bout could impact the family's claims of gross negligence. "Evidence has come to light in the course of questioning that the deceased was not truthful in respect of his completion of the statutory declaration," Ian Hague's sworn affidavit reads. "If Mr. Hague was knocked out leading up to the event and did sustain a concussion, that may have made him susceptible to far more severe consequences than he would have ordinarily suffered, including death." The settlement provided $20,000 to Hague's parents. Another portion of nearly $44,000 was placed into a trust for his son, who was eight at the time of Hague's death. "I am not in a position to afford adverse court cost consequences, nor is any other member of the family," the affidavit reads. "My family and I would like to move on from this tragic event." Hague, who took the fight on short notice, had a history of knockouts and concussions. His most recent medical suspension had expired days before his fight. Court documents show Hague had signed a statutory declaration form confirming to fight organizers that he had not sustained a concussion or a knockout within the past 30 days. Hague also signed a full waiver and medical release form. Alleged knockout According to two additional sworn affidavits in the court file, details of the alleged knockout he suffered during training were revealed during a conversation among Hague's friends — members of the combat community — who had gathered to pay their final respects. According to the court documents, one of the friends visiting the hospital suggested that Hague had been "knocked out" in training in the week leading up to the match, but decided to fight anyway. Magraken said the details of the case demonstrate the need for careful tracking of each fighter's medical history and for commissions to act as diligent watchdogs for the potentially catastrophic risks of chronic head trauma. It's not uncommon for fighters, eager to maintain their livelihoods, to remain silent about their health issues or injuries, he said. "Everybody involved should take a harder look at the realities of cumulative brain damage and make sure that injury is being treated with the gravity it deserves." 'Eight years of inaction' Shara Vigeant, who once trained Hague, remains frustrated with the pace of reform and questions Alberta's commitment to fighter safety. An Edmonton-based MMA trainer and former fighter, Vigeant said Hague's death should have prompted swift and sweeping regulatory reforms. Since then, another fighter has died. Trokon Dousuah, 33, succumbed to injuries sustained in his first amateur mixed martial arts fight in late 2024. The time has come to "clean house" and implement province-wide oversight with stricter policies focused on fighter safety, she said. "It's been eight years since Tim's death — eight years of inaction," Vigeant said. "And still, Alberta remains the only province in Canada without a provincial commission.
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Fort Worth to pay $250,000 settlement in deadly 2023 police chase
The City of Fort Worth has agreed to pay $250,000 to the family of a man killed during a high-speed police chase in 2023. The settlement, approved Tuesday by the Fort Worth City Council, resolves a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the father of Andre Craig, 57, who died after a collision with a police vehicle in South Fort Worth. City records note the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by the City of Fort Worth. Craig was killed in July 2023 when a Fort Worth police officer, pursuing a reported stolen vehicle, collided with Craig's car at an intersection. Witnesses said Craig had a green light. The police report stated the chase reached speeds of up to 100 mph on Evans Avenue, where the speed limit is 30 mph. For nearly two years, Craig's family has pushed for accountability, urging the department to "own up" to its role in his death. The department has not said whether the officer followed its pursuit policies, but no disciplinary action was taken following an internal investigation. A Tarrant County grand jury later cleared the 20-year veteran officer of criminal wrongdoing. The case prompted a nearly two-year investigation by the CBS News Texas I-Team into the Fort Worth Police Department's vehicle pursuit policy. In response to public records requests from the I-Team and other media outlets, the city sued the Texas Attorney General to block the release of the full policy. While portions were released in spring 2024, the department argued that disclosing the entire policy could compromise officer safety and effectiveness. The man police were chasing, Brian Hunter, was charged with evading arrest causing death — a felony that carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. His next court hearing is scheduled for September. Neither Craig's family nor the Fort Worth Police Department responded to requests for comment on the settlement.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Noah Presgrove's family name names in shock lawsuit over death of teen found naked on road next to his teeth
The family of a teenager mysteriously found dead on a lonely highway are suing seven people, claiming he was 'beaten to death'. Noah Presgrove, 19, was wearing only shoes when his body was discovered on a desolate stretch of US-81 near Terral, Oklahoma, on September 4, 2023. He was last seen alive about a mile away at a four-day 22nd birthday party with friends over the Labor Day weekend that was heavily documented on social media. Presgrove suffered massive head and upper-body injuries that led him to die from internal bleeding, but the cause of those injuries remains a mystery. His cadre of close pals still raging well into that Sunday night consistently claimed they had no idea how he died, if they were even awake when he did. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is not investigating his death as a murder, but his family has long believed he was beaten to death and his body dumped on the road. Almost two years after his death, and with barely a peep from cops, they are out of patience and filed a $75,000 wrongful death lawsuit on Monday. '[Presgrove] was beat to death by one or more of the defendants,' the lawsuit claimed, without specifying who they believed did it. The lawsuit left open the possibility that the alleged beating wasn't meant to kill him, and included 'unidentified individuals' among the defendants. 'Either intentionally or accidentally, the defendants killed [Presgrove],' the lawsuit claimed. 'Although the death may have been unintended, hosting the party and beating of [Presgrove] was intentionally, malicious, and in reckless disregard of [his] rights.' OHP didn't explicitly rule out manslaughter in its statement last year. Presgrove's family insisted his death was 'not caused by being hit by a motor vehicle', an early explanation now thought to be unlikely by investigators. The complaint named four of Presgrove's close friends who were at the party, one of their fathers, owners of the house, and a shop where they bought booze. Presgrove's best friend Jack Newton and on-again, off-again girlfriend Carter Combs were two of the most prominent defendants in the lawsuit. Jack was singled out as who allegedly bought the alcohol Presgrove drank, which the complaint argued made him partly culpable for his death. Logan Jernigan, one of the girls who was at the party whom Presgrove fell asleep with earlier on the weekend, and was there the night he died. She is named as a defendant in the lawsuit He allegedly bought the booze from Napoli's convenience store in Marlow, Oklahoma, also named as a defendant and accused of selling alcohol to a minor. Two other girls, Avery Jo Combs and Logan Jernigan, were along with Carter accused of hosting the party. 'The party was a civil conspiracy... to furnish alcoholic beverages to underaged and intoxicated individuals, such as [Presgrove], over the course of several days,' the lawsuit claimed. They were accused of providing Presgrove with alcohol 'even after he was already intoxicated' and breaching their duty of care by doing so. Presgrove's autopsy report found he had a blood alcohol level of 0.14. Jack's father Caleb Newton was accused in the lawsuit of allowing Presgrove to drive or ride on an ATV, which flipped and allegedly injured him. Newton has long maintained he was never at the party and the ATV has in the past been referred to as belonging to Jack. Avery and Carter's mother Stevie Howard was named in the suit because she owned a trailer next to the house that was used in the party, as was her father Johnnie Trout Wilcoxson, who owned the property but was not present. Howard has been one of the most vocal major players in the saga on Facebook groups that sprung up to discuss his death, strongly defending her children and other partygoers and dismissing sinister theories about Presgrove's death. The lawsuit demanded at least $75,000 in damages for funeral expenses, pain and suffering, and lost earnings and companionship, plus punitive damages. 'Defendants acted maliciously and/or in reckless disregard of [Presgrove's] rights, justifying an award of punitive damages,' it claimed. The lawsuit offered no evidence that Presgrove was beaten to death, let alone by anyone at the party, and none has emerged since his body was found - other than the nature of his injuries. Dr Stuart Fischer, an internist doctor with extensive experience in emergency medicine, agreed with the premise of the lawsuit when he reviewed Presgrove's autopsy report for the Daily Mail last year. He concluded the injuries Presgrove suffered were so catastrophic and varied that him being mortally wounded in a severe beating was the most likely cause. The inclusion of 'unidentified individuals' in the lawsuit admitted the possibility that Jack, Avery, Carter, and Logan played no direct role in his death. The seven-page complaints includes some of the known facts in the case, including the ATV accident, and an argument just before Presgrove vanished. 'Toward the end of the party, defendants Jack Newton and Avery Howard were seen verbally fighting with [Presgrove],' it claimed. A rough series of events emerged over the year since his death as the case was investigated, texts were leaked, and the details intensely discussed online. The generally accepted narrative includes Presgrove being dirty after the ATV accident and being helped to shower by Carter and another partygoer, Jasmine Milan, because of how drunk he was. Presgrove soon after argued with Avery, whom some friends claim he was hooking up with at the time, after he asked to sleep in her bed and she refused and told him he had to sleep on the floor. 'She told him he couldn't sleep in her bed because he messed with her friend the night before,' Jack told a friend last year. The argument upset Presgrove, and he wandered off into the night 'to cool off', never to be seen alive again. Jack in Facebook messages explained to a friend his own argument with Presgrove: 'We argued about girls for a second then ended up holding each other crying telling each other how much we meant to one another.' The lawsuit added that 'at least some partygoers' realized Presgrove was gone at 3.41am. The 3.41am timing is a reference to a selfie Jasmine posted to Snapchat with the caption 'well, Noah's missing'. Presgrove was found at 5.43am, according to both police and the lawsuit, naked and with some of his teeth scattered around his body. He was spotted by an Oklahoma Petroleum Allies hauler driver and Gulfmark Energy field supervisor Tyler Hardy, both of whom called 911 minutes later. Jack claimed he happened upon the scene about 6am as he left to go fishing with his father Caleb, whom he called at 6.05am. 'I figured maybe he got a ride or something, Noah's done that before - got mad and left,' he told the Daily Mail last year. 'He was not one you usually worry about. I wasn't really thinking about it.' This timeline is disputed by another partygoer, Kaden Pressy, who claimed he was woken up at 5.15am by Jack bursting through he door at 5.15am. 'Jack Newton bursts through the door saying "Noah is dead". Like, frantic, tearing up,' he told detectives in a leaked recording of a June 21 interview. Pressy also claimed when he followed Jack to the body, Presgrove had black shorts on, in contrast to being naked with a pair of white shorts on the road nearby. Since the Daily Mail's initial coverage of Presgrove's death last April incited global media attention, thousands of true-crime enthusiasts have flocked to three Facebook groups and Reddit to endlessly discuss the case. Many of them are convinced Presgrove was murdered and his body dumped on the road, especially given the lack of blood at the scene. They have hailed the lawsuit filing as a huge step towards justice for Presgrove, despite its lack of evidence of foul play so far.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Tesla sued over Model S crash that killed three in New Jersey
Tesla was sued on Monday by the estates of three people killed last September when their 2024 Model S equipped with Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features crashed on New Jersey's Garden State Parkway. The wrongful death lawsuit filed in the federal court in Camden, New Jersey, attributed the deaths of David Dryerman, 54; his wife Michele, 54; and their daughter Brooke, 17, to the car's 'defective and unreasonably dangerous design.' Brooke's older brother, Max Dryerman, was not in the car, and is also a plaintiff. The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. Tesla, led by billionaire Elon Musk, did not immediately respond to requests for comment after market hours. The plaintiffs' lawyers did not immediately respond to similar requests. Musk's company, based in Austin, Texas, has long faced questions about the safety of its self-driving technology. Tesla has said its features are meant for 'fully attentive' drivers with their hands on the steering wheel, and that the features do not now make its vehicles autonomous. Under pressure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tesla agreed in December 2023 to recall more than 2 million vehicles in the United States to add safeguards to its Autopilot advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). According to published reports, the Dryermans were returning from a music festival on September 14, 2024, when their Model S ran off the road in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, hitting a sign, guardrail and concrete bridge support. The complaint said the car's defective design caused it to stray from its lane of travel and fail to apply emergency braking, resulting in the crash. It also said Tesla failed to warn David Dryerman, who was driving, that his Model S was unsafe, citing Musk's statement in 2016 that Autopilot was 'probably better' than human drivers. The Dryermans were wearing seat belts, according to the complaint. 'Thousands of Tesla drivers have relied on Tesla's ADAS technology as though it were capable of safe, fully autonomous self-driving with minor software updates when in fact it is incapable of safely handling a variety of routine roadway scenarios without driver input,' the complaint said. The case is Dryerman et al v Tesla Inc, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, No. 25-11997. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler and Matthew Lewis.
CNN
21-06-2025
- CNN
Karen Read faces a civil lawsuit after being acquitted of murder. What's next
CrimeFacebookTweetLink Follow Karen Read descended the steps of the Norfolk County Superior Court on Wednesday a free woman, acquitted of murder. Met by a sea of supporters, cheering and firing pink confetti cannons, there were tears and 'I love you' gestures as the crowd — and Read — celebrated a long sought-after legal conclusion even one that came with a conviction on a lesser charge. The future seems bright for the woman who has gone from homicide suspect to cult hero, but her legal battles are not quite over. Following two criminal jury trials over the death of her police officer boyfriend, Read has become something of a celebrity to her supporters, who reveled in her acquittal this week. But the former financial analyst, who has spent more than three years as a murder suspect, still faces a civil lawsuit over John O'Keefe's death. It's not entirely clear what comes next for Read. However, immediately following the verdict, she appeared to be just taking in the moment with her family. Read was seen having a celebratory dinner with her defense team and family members at an upscale restaurant in the Seaport section of Boston Wednesday night, according to CNN affiliate WCVB. 'Happy, I'm happy, thank you,' Read told reporters. 'I fought for John O'Keefe, harder than anyone.' While prosecutors cannot bring criminal charges against her again over O'Keefe's death, Read still has other legal issues to contend with. O'Keefe's family filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit in August 2024, alleging Read 'intended the reckless conduct that resulted' in his death. The lawsuit also accuses the two Canton bars — C.F. McCarthy's and the Waterfall Bar and Grill — saying they 'negligently served alcohol to an intoxicated person.' Both bars have denied that allegation, according to court filings. O'Keefe's family said Read's public comments about what happened that night were a 'false narrative' and caused them 'aggravated emotional distress,' according to the filing. Read has participated in interviews and a documentary series about the case, and has said her public comments are 'her testimony.' The civil suit is not just about the circumstances that led to O'Keefe's death. His family alleges Read also inflicted emotional distress on O'Keefe's niece when she woke the girl up to tell her something had happened to her uncle, according to the lawsuit. Read's lawyers in the civil case declined to comment to CNN on ongoing litigation. CNN has not heard back from the O'Keefe's attorneys. The O'Keefe's are seeking $50,000 in damages, according to filings, and the case could go to trial if a settlement is not reached first. The civil suit was put on hold while the criminal trial played out, court documents show. The docket shows no new court dates have yet been scheduled. While Read was acquitted of murder, the jury found her guilty of drunk driving. She was sentenced to one year probation and will have to complete a driver alcohol education program, the standard sentence for first-time offenders. As a condition of the driver alcohol education program, Read's driver's license will also be suspended for up to 90 days, according to Massachusetts law. Read's acquittal in O'Keefe's murder means no one has yet been held accountable for his death. David Yannetti, one of Read's attorneys, reiterated Thursday that while his client was found not guilty of O'Keefe's killing, there might still be more to be done. 'They charged the wrong person, and they went after an innocent woman for three and a half years and they failed because they charged the wrong person. But somebody's still out there,' he told WCVB outside the restaurant. It is unclear if the homicide investigation into O'Keefe's death will continue. Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey told CNN affiliate WBZ after court 'the jury has spoken.' CNN reached out to his office, but they had no further comment about the verdict or the homicide investigation. John Jackson, an O'Keefe family friend, told CNN affiliate WCVB they will try to move on and keep O'Keefe's memory alive. 'He just deserved much more than this… This circus, it's unacceptable. But you respect the jury's decision. It's what it is,' Jackson said. The FBI initiated a federal investigation into law enforcement after O'Keefe's death, but special prosecutor Hank Brennen announced in court during Read's second trial that it was closed without any charges being filed. Defense attorney Alan Jackson, however, said in an interview Thursday with a local radio program, the Howie Carr Show, he still has questions about that investigation. 'I've never heard of an investigative agency announcing to the target that the investigation is closed. That has never happened,' he told Carr. 'So, I still have questions about that.' Jackson said he thinks there is 'plenty of evidence for them to investigate, and I think they should.' The Massachusetts State Police vowed to take new steps to improve its process following O'Keefe's death and the subsequent investigation. 'The events of the last three years have challenged our Department to thoroughly review our actions and take concrete steps to deliver advanced investigative training, ensure appropriate oversight, and enhance accountability,' Col. Geoffrey Noble said in a statement posted Thursday on Facebook. Legal battles are expensive and Read racked up significant costs while maintaining her innocence, according to reporting from Vanity Fair last year. The publication said Read paid '$1.2 million leading up to and during' her first trial, depleting her savings and other donations. That included the costs of everything from paying bail to accommodations for her lawyers and to experts like private investigators, Vanity Fair reported. Before her second trial even started, Read had $5 million of deferred legal bills, according to the magazine. As of Friday, people were still donating to an online legal fund for Read that has raised more than one million dollars. Speaking to supporters from the courthouse steps after the verdict on Wednesday, Read thanked them for their financial support. Read's health issues may also play a significant role in her future. Read has said she has Crohn's disease and multiple sclerosis, and text messages about her health conditions from lead investigator Michael Proctor came up during the first trial, according to court reporting from WCVB. One day of testimony in her second trial was postponed due to a 'health issue,' the court clerk said. CNN affiliate WCVB reported Read was sick, citing a source close to the case. CNN has reached out to Read and her attorneys for comment on this reporting but did not hear back. Three and a half years ago, the murder case against Read divided the tight-knit town of Canton, Massachusetts, and its nearby suburbs. Residents stormed city council meetings, demanding answers. Some accused the local police of a cover-up to protect those at the party on Fairview Road. Others turned to social media forums to discuss the intricacies of that fateful night, turning what began as a local homicide case into a broader national sensation. Many residents in Canton and its surrounding areas picked a side: they either agreed with prosecutors who said Read hit and killed O'Keefe with her car after a night out or sided with the defense, who said she was framed. The allegations of corruption and law enforcement tainting the investigation into O'Keefe's death was a galvanizing force for Read's supporters. The public outpouring of support started as a grassroots movement, according to CNN correspondent Jean Casarez, who has spoken with many of the people in Read's crowds. The movement was based on the belief among many that law enforcement tampering with evidence was rampant in their community — and Read's case became the symbol of that. In a previous statement to CNN, Canton Police Chief Helena Rafferty said investigators found 'absolutely no evidence of a cover up in the tragic death of John O'Keefe.' At a town board meeting in August 2023, she acknowledged there's a 'mistrust for the police department' in Canton, but said it's not as widespread as portrayed. 'However, I do acknowledge that it is there, and I hear you,' she said. 'I believe the first step in bridging that trust gap is effective and healthy communication.' She did not respond to further questions from CNN on the root of the mistrust. The town's Select Board Chair John McCourt acknowledged this week the case has 'deeply affected' the community. He said the trial's 'outcome may bring a sense of relief to some and continue to raise questions for others. We encourage members of the community to move forward together, treating one another with respect through civil, constructive dialogue,' according to a statement on the town's website Thursday. The public interest in the case continues. The day of the verdict, Netflix announced a new documentary series that 'will explore what happened in the days leading up to O'Keefe's death,' according to a statement from the streaming company. CNN's Faith Karimi and Jean Casarez contributed reporting.
