Pending Court Approval, Civil Case Closed
A cinematographer died on the set of the upcoming movie “Rust” when a prop gun discharged. The grieving family settled the suit with the production almost a year after the death of the cinematographer.
Let’s go over the details of the news with Ehline Law and our personal injury attorneys.
Production Team and Alec Baldwin Settles Lawsuit for Undisclosed Amount
On October 21, 2021, a 42-year-old Ukrainian cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was working on the set of Rust, an upcoming American Western film written and directed by Joel Souza, starring lead actor Alec Baldwin. She died after the actor discharged a Pietta .45 Colt revolver used as a prop gun.
The gun fatally wounded Hutchins,...
SANTA FE — Deepest condolences Friday morning, October 22, 2021, were expressed worldwide when it was learned that principal actor and Hunt for Red October star Alec Baldwin took Halyna Hutchins’ life in a horrific shooting death. On Friday, court documents revealed that Baldwin obtained the weapon from assistant director Dave Halls at 3 p.m. on Thursday. This is one of those moments of sadness we all wish we could have avoided that will now be decided criminally and civilly under wrongful death laws.
Alec Baldwin Was Told “Prop Gun” in Accidental Killing Was Safe, Officials Say
Above image. Author, Attorney Michael Ehline, inactive United States Marine and firearms expert.
He shot and killed her in front of his entire...
Wrongful Death or Property Damage Claim?
In recent news, a fatal motorcycle accident happened in southwest Bakersfield, CA, where a motorcyclist lost his life. Let’s explore the details of the Bakersfield accident with Ehline Law and our motorcycle attorneys.
Motorcyclist Dead in an Accident at Stockdale Highway and Coffee Road in South Bakersfield, Kern County
On September 17, 2022, the Bakersfield police department received a call for a collision at the intersection of Stockdale Highway and Coffee Road in SW Bakersfield, CA. The Bakersfield police department received a call before 9:00 PM after the accident occurred between a motorcyclist and another vehicle on Saturday evening. They immediately dispatched their nearby officers to...
On October 22, 2022, a motorcycle accident occurred in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood near mission road leading to the death of a motorcyclist.
Left Turn Crash near Griffin Avenue Leaves Motorcyclist Dead in California
At around 7:30 AM, the Los Angeles Police Department received a call about the accident on the 2800 block of Griffin Avenue, prompting an immediate dispatch of officers to the accident site. When the first responders arrived at the accident site, they saw an unconscious 24-year-old motorcyclist lying on the road. The responders immediately tried to offer first aid but soon pronounced the rider dead.
Bike Gets Pinned under Vehicle When Driver Makes a Left Turn near Griffin Avenue
The other vehicle’s driver was at the...
Michael Jackson was one of the world’s greatest musical geniuses ever to have lived. In 2013, four years after his death, his family filed a wrongful death claim against AEG Live LLC concert promoter Randy Phillips in search of answers. AEG hired the doctor who administered a fatal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol. This doctor, named Conrad Murray, was since convicted of involuntary manslaughter in a related criminal matter.
The Michael Jackson Wrongful Death Case is Fascinating
Jackson’s mother and her three grandchildren, Paris Jackson, Bigi Jackson, and Michael Prince Jackson Jr claimed that AEG Live LLC failed to properly supervise Dr. Conrad Murray, which resulted in Michael Jackson’s death. It may be helpful...
Claim Your Free Consultation on Violent Crimes
Ultimate Guide to Understanding Race-Based Attacks on Buses
On July 17, 2022, the local cops posted a video of the suspected attackers responsible for the brutal “anti-white” beating on a New York City bus that went viral.
The incident on the Queens bus shocked the residents of New York City, sparking an investigation by the NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force.
57-year-old Grandma Subject to Verbal Assault on MTA Bus
On July 9, 2022, Jill LeCroix, a 57-year-old white woman, the only white person, was riding on the city bus when three black teenage girls approached her and started assaulting her.
It initially started with verbal abuse and derogatory anti-white statements from the...
A Breaking News Story Coverage on the Open Border Disaster
Ultimate Guide to Understanding Buses and Illegal Immigration
Although I am a Texas bus accident attorney, this is a great story about states refusing to accept illegals, many of whom are violent criminals, into their states.
Instead, Florida and Texas are sending these lawbreakers, President Biden allowed into the U.S., to Democrat-run states.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that the first bus arriving in Chicago from the southern border is on the way. The new migrants were dropped off at Union Station on Wednesday. This is amazing for asylum seekers because the state has spent $12.7 million on free rides to sanctuary cities like Washington, New York City, and Chicago.
Greg...
Today around 12:05 pm, an SUV was involved in a major car accident. California Hwy Patrol was on the scene around 12:25 pm, as well as American Towing.
The major crash occurred on the 15 FWY near 1 Yates Well Rd, Nipton, CA 92364. The vehicle looks to have rolled multiple times and ultimately landed facing west.
The camera car was heading South on the 15 FWY as depicted in the San Bernardino County car accident video evidence.
Accidents in and around Nipton, California, are unfortunately not uncommon. Nipton is an unincorporated community in the Ivanpah Valley in San Bernardino County, California.
If you or a loved one were involved in this accident and would like to speak to a California Personal Injury Attorney, contact:
Ehline Law Firm,...
So this is a case that should be fascinating. To many, Michael Jackson, King of Pop, had a reputation for not liking some people in his family. [1. Why did Michael Jackson hate his dad?]
[2. Did Jackson order a hit on his brother?] [3. Michael Jackson Trashes his family] Also known is that Jackson did not leave anything in his will for any of his brothers, sisters, or dad. [4. Jackson Leaves no Money for Siblings]
Here is a video of Decedent Jackson saying how he felt about his father: (Click Here)
Incidentally, the defense was raised that Jackson’s kids are not even the biological offspring of Jackson. [5. Jackson’s Kids not from his seed] If anyone has ever seen Jackson’s kids, it is not hard to believe they aren’t...
Could It Be an Act of Negligence?
Ultimate Guide to Understanding Foul Play Accident
On August 3, 2022, Wednesday afternoon, a two-vehicle crash happened on Route 19 south of Route 119 in the Northern Indiana district. Upon investigation by the Elkhart county sheriff’s office, the crash involved Rep. Jackie Walorski (R- Ind.), District Director Zachery Potts, and Walorski’s communications director Emma Thomson. Congresswoman Walorski and her staff members did not survive the auto accident, and the other vehicle’s driver did not make it either.
The Sheriff immediately called Dean Swihart, Jackie’s husband, to inform him of the incident. Swihart released a statement stating that although the incident devastated...
![So this is a case that should be fascinating. To many, Michael Jackson, King of Pop, had a reputation for not liking some people in his family. [1. Why did Michael Jackson hate his dad?] [2. Did Jackson order a hit on his brother?] [3. Michael Jackson Trashes his family] Also known is that Jackson did not leave anything in his will for any of his brothers, sisters, or dad. [4. Jackson Leaves no Money for Siblings] Here is a video of Decedent Jackson saying how he felt about his father: (Click Here) Incidentally, the defense was raised that Jackson's kids are not even the biological offspring of Jackson. [5. Jackson's Kids not from his seed] If anyone has ever seen Jackson's kids, it is not hard to believe they aren't biologically his. They appear to be Caucasian and not mixed. Why this is all-important will come into play soon enough. But this is the setup. The Muddying of the Jury Pool Over the Years So after much fanfare, the jury is finally selected in the Michael Jackson wrongful death lawsuit. It consists of six men and six women jurors on Monday, yesterday. All this controversy and all the rumors of several decades have poisoned the minds of many. There are many allegations of child abuse against Jackson himself. Also, there are allegations that he was not close with many of his siblings, etc. So this will be a tough case. Katherine Jackson brought the lawsuit for 40 billion dollars. So the causes of actions are negligent hiring and wrongful death. These are in a wrongful death lawsuit against the promoters of the London concert series. Conrad Murray was working as Michael Jackson's physician. Guardianship Stripping Recall that a court had previously stripped Mrs. Jackson of her guardianship of Michael Jackson's children. [6. Bitter Battle Over Millions]. And this happened amidst allegations she was held against her will by several Jackson family siblings and members. Also, this was due to a financial dispute between those family members and the Michael Jackson Estate. So why is all this important? Well. A party must establish a surviving blood relative or adopted children to recover money for wrongful death. Even then, if that threshold gets met, the survivor now must prove that they lost the decedent's love, affection, sex, or financial support. So clearly, any children getting cared for that were the lawful heirs, as well as siblings, moms, dads, and wives, could potentially recover monetary damages. These would be for wrongful death, as against the defendants in this case. The Jury Instructions - Evidence The jury instructions or the court may require proof of all of the above to arrive at a verdict. Those who do not wish for the children to recover assert that they are not legally Jackson's kids, as they are not biologically his and were never adopted. But from my perspective as a wrongful death lawyer in L.A., that should not matter because Jackson appeared legally married at the time. The twist is that AEG asserts that the mother Jackson was married to was not the biological mother either. And if she had not adopted the kids, they would have been barred. Some slick defense attorney knows their stuff, and the judge has yet to rule on a pending motion on this very issue. Alternatively, if it is proven this was a sham marriage or something, there might be another argument to invalidate the kids' claims. Can Voir Dire Weed Out Biased Jurors? The alternate jurors in the case have not been chosen yet by the lawyers for the trial. The trial, once it begins, could last approximately three weeks. And it was hard enough to get the jury we have now with all the popularity surrounding this case. Of particular interest, the point behind jury selection, or voir dire, is to give the potential jury pool a chance to offer the truth about how they will perform their duties as a panel. They are then sworn in and told not to watch the news, discuss the case, follow the law, and form a verdict. But here, we have precedence that many former jurors in celebrity lawsuits have a bias for or against the star or want to make money selling their story. So this makes it hard for everyone, especially the judge, who would prefer not to have the case reversed on appeal and instead seek the efficient administration of justice. Unbiased Jury? So theoretically, an impartial jury can be found, but it is 100% based on their ability to uphold their solemn promise, to be honest. A biased juror may wish to award nothing to get back to the family, or they could give a runaway verdict because they hate Dr. Murray. In my opinion, AEG should pay the indemnity and walk away. These risks are too high. And to me, it is not worth rolling the dice. The Big Corporate Defendant In the lawsuit filed in September of 2010, Katherine Jackson stated that AEG Live was responsible for the hiring of Conrad Murray. As Jackson's physician, he administered Poole to Jackson. That resulted in his death on June 25, 2009. Jackson died of acute Poole intoxication at a rented Holmby Hills estate at 50. In November of 2011, Murray got sentenced to four years in the Los Angeles County Jail for the involuntary manslaughter of singer and lover of little boys Michael Jackson. The attorneys for AEG have argued that there was no wrongdoing and that the pop singer had a long history of drug problems before the agreement between Jackson and AEG to do the London concert series. Katherine Jackson filed the wrongful death lawsuit for herself and Michael's three children, Michael Jr., Paris Michael, and Prince Michael. AEG Argued They Did Not Hire Dr. Murray The attorney for AEG Live, Marvin Putnam, argued that his clients did not hire Murray. Also, the cardiologist has been one of many physicians that treated the pop singer in the past. Putman also stated that Jackson had a drug problem. Also, this was long before they agreed to perform with AEG. The proposed contract between Murray and AEG Live had not gotten implemented before Jackson's death. The actions taken by AEG implied the agreement. So, according to a judge, this included discussions on paying Murray $150,000 a month. Red Flags Jackson's attorneys contend that AEG hired Murray. So there was no concern of red flags that he was not a board-certified cardiologist or in serious debt. AEG Live lawyers moved for a dismissal of the entire complaint. So they stated that after two years of litigation, there was a failure to prove that AEG Live or its executives did any wrongdoing. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos tossed out all the other claims on March 1. The excellent judge held AEG Live liable for Jackson's death. Were There a Partial Dismissals Sua Sponte? Judge Palazuelos dismissed AEG's former president Timothy Leiweke, chief executive officer, and the company as defendants. A division of AEG Live and AEG Live President and Chief Executive Officer Brandon Phillips, Judge Palazuelos ruled, would remain named in the case. In a sworn declaration, Gongaware stated that he did not tell Jackson or his physicians what medications should get administered to the singer. Also, he said that at no time did he ever require that Jackson take the drug. So he had no idea that Jackson was using the medicine. The Emails Gongaware said that he only learned about the use of Poole in the press after Jackson's death. He said he did not suspect that Jackson was taking the drug. He claimed he had no control over the doctor or that Dr. Murray was administering Poole to Jackson. But Katherine Jackson's attorneys say an email Gongaware wrote shows he did control Murray. Two weeks before Jackson's death, he sent the tour director Kenny Ortega an email. He exclaims that Dr. Murray was keeping Jackson from rehearsing a day prior. AEG Paid Murray's Salary? In the email, Gongaware stated they should remind Murray that AEG was paying his salary, not Michael Jackson. He made clear what they expected of Murray. Here, the heirs had to prove to a jury, all the other minutia aside, that AEG knew what Murray was doing. Next, they had to prove AEG either allowed or encouraged this destructive behavior. But even if that gets proven, much evidence will still need to come. Also, this is how to determine how much the lawful plaintiffs would have recovered had Jackson survived. So the jury would need to believe that Jackson was really in a position where he could have provided at least as much as the Jackson heirs sought. So they could also award a lesser amount. Do you think M.J. could have provided the millions in wrongful death compensation desired? Citations: "Why Did the Michael Jackson Family Lose Their Wrongful Death Lawsuit?"](/blog/wp-content/themes/yootheme/cache/texas-wrongful-death-attorneys-3a72cb22.jpeg)
