Armstrong vs. Shirvell: jury awards former $4.5 million

[wright]

This could be considered a followup to this post:

http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/forums/index.php/topic,16476.0.html

In brief, a jury has found Shirvell did indeed stalk and harass Armstrong. Shirvell is apparently still unrepentant and claiming it's all about free speech. So far his former boss, at least two judges and now a jury have disagreed with him.

From the linked article:

Shirvell, who represented himself, said the jury award was "grossly excessive" and vowed to appeal with help from the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based nonprofit national public interest law firm.

"It's just shocking that a jury would trample on my First Amendment rights the way they did," he told The News. "That's why the case should've been thrown out months ago by the judge. … Juries give First Amendment rights short shrift."

Shirvell also said he's unemployed and "there's no possible way" he could pay the verdict, but he is prepared to fight the case even to the Supreme Court.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120817/METRO/208170378#ixzz23xQCDPsR

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120817/METRO/208170378/1409/METRO/Jury-awards-4-5-million-gay-former-U-M-student-body-president

What a petty little bigot. Start acting like an adult: apologize and move on with your life, already.

[Nick]

Sounds like the lawyers made out well.

Could have settled this much cheaper at Chic-Fil-A. 

[Graybeard]

If damages are supposed to be a compensation for injuries suffered, how is it possible that Armstrong suffered $4.5 Million dollars worth of injury?

Even assuming that the damages were punitive, I would consider anything much above $100,000 to be excessive:

http://www.accident-claim-expert.co.uk/compensation-amounts/eye-injury-claims.html

Blindness in both eyes:
Blindness in both of your eyes can lead to compensation of: up to £173,000

[wright]

If damages are supposed to be a compensation for injuries suffered, how is it possible that Armstrong suffered $4.5 Million dollars worth of injury?

Armstrong did offer (at least at one point) to drop the charges if Shirvell would apologize and retract, but the latter was apparently unwilling to do so. I give him credit for consistency in his bigotry, though nothing else.

The question of appropriate compensation is another can of worms entirely.

[Nam]

I'm with Graybeard. Seems a bit excessive.

-Nam