Cinemark Bills Aurora Shooting Victims for $700,000 for Legal Fees - Polidicks

[QUOTE]According to the Denver Post, lawyers for Cinemark filed a “bill of costs” for $699,187.13 earlier this month in Arapahoe County District Court for fees associated with a lawsuit filed by more than 20 survivors and parents of those murdered that was eventually won by the theater chain. The plaintiffs contended that the Century 16 theater where shooter James Holmes opened fire during a screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” was inadequately equipped. Specifically, they claimed that the exit door used by Holmes to gain entrance to the theater should have had an alarm. They also asserted that a lack of armed guards and gaps in security camera coverage aided the attack. Holmes was sentenced to life in prison last August when a jury could not reach a unanimous decision on whether to condemn him to death. Related Stories Civil trial begins over liability for theater shooting A jury sided with Cinemark in the civil case last month. According to Colorado court rules, the winner of such litigation is allowed to recover legal costs, but ultimately judges will decide whether the victims will have to pay the theater chain. Cinemark owns more than 480 theater locations.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/entertainment/the-wrap/article/Cinemark-Bills-Aurora-Shooting-Victims-for-8334560.php[/url]

don't file frivolous lawsuits folks

[quote]Specifically, they claimed that the exit door used by Holmes to gain entrance to the theater should have had an alarm. They also asserted that a lack of armed guards and gaps in security camera coverage aided the attack.[/quote] Its a movie theater, not a military base.

Honestly, you shouldn't hire a lawyer for a lawsuit like that unless it's "pay on win".

My local AMC theaters have armed security guards. Clothed and plainclothed.

That said, it may be that the lawyer misrepresented how likely they were to win the case.

They shouldn't have won but they really shouldn't have to pay that much. If the survivors had won it would have set the precedent that commercial locations be fully prepared for acts of violence and terrorism or be liable to pay damages. I don't want the possibility of a future with TSA like requirements to enter malls and theatres.

[QUOTE=Code3Response;50986965]Its a movie theater, not a military base.[/QUOTE] And zero of their claims would have changed anything. They want an armed guard at every exit of every building? You know how many a theater alone has? Would be smarter to just have them one way open, and more effective but I think they were a bit quick on filing the suit

Cinemark was going to settle with them, they didn't take the deal, against the advice of their lawyer.

[QUOTE=spiritlol;50987132]They shouldn't have won but they really shouldn't have to pay that much. If the survivors had won it would have set the precedent that commercial locations be fully prepared for acts of violence and terrorism or be liable to pay damages. I don't want the possibility of a future with TSA like requirements to enter malls and theatres.[/QUOTE] They would have signed a contract clearly explaining the cost per hour and the lawyer is required to regularly bill a client so they can keep track of the cost. It's their fault really.

[QUOTE=Te Great Skeeve;50987183]Cinemark was going to settle with them, they didn't take the deal, against the advice of their lawyer.[/QUOTE] Actually it was 1 guy out of 41 who didn't want to take the deal so 37 of them immediately dropped the suit. The remaining 4 are the ones responsible for the bill.

My local cinemark has an armed guard standing right next to the ticket booth, and its a real fucking buzzkill, because sometimes I take my concealed carry gun with me, and other times I have my pockets stuffed with those little 50ml liquor bottles. And he just stands there all serious, staring at people. Super uncomfortable.

It's a fucking cinema for christ's sake! It's shit that it happened but do you really want the place to feel like a prison just so it's safe? I wouldn't want to go to a cinema that has security measures out the ass...

[QUOTE=spiritlol;50987132]They shouldn't have won but they really shouldn't have to pay that much[/QUOTE] Why not? Lawyers are expensive. Expert Witnesses are expensive. Time wasted on dumb shit by top level executives is expensive. Court costs are expensive. Document review is expensive. You shouldn't be allowed to sue without consequences when it's obvious that you are in the wrong. Whether or not they believed they were owed anything, or were merely greedy is irrelevant. In the former they are delusional. In the latter they were detrimental to the legal system. In either case every last one of these cunts should be labeled a vexatious litigant, barring them from any future lawsuits without a substantial preponderance of evidence. If they go bankrupt because of their rampant greed and/or stupidity, they have no one to blame but themselves.

[QUOTE=Zephyrs;50988348]Why not? Lawyers are expensive. Expert Witnesses are expensive. Time wasted on dumb shit by top level executives is expensive. Court costs are expensive. Document review is expensive. You shouldn't be allowed to sue without consequences when it's obvious that you are in the wrong. Whether or not they believed they were owed anything, or were merely greedy is irrelevant. In the former they are delusional. In the latter they were detrimental to the legal system. In either case every last one of these cunts should be labeled a vexatious litigant, barring them from any future lawsuits without a substantial preponderance of evidence. If they go bankrupt because of their rampant greed and/or stupidity, they have no one to blame but themselves.[/QUOTE] I missed the bit about them refusing to settle, in the end they really asked for this.

[QUOTE=CodeMonkey3;50986971]My local AMC theaters have armed security guards. Clothed and plainclothed.[/QUOTE] Or are they just cops? I used to go to Century 16 and there were typically one or two Aurora PD cops in the lobby and maybe a car in the parking lot on release nights. I stopped going because the whole mall just got ghetto and didn't feel safe anymore. My mom woke me up that night to say there was a shooting there and I only said "That's why I don't go to the Aurora Mall" before rolling over and falling asleep again.

[QUOTE=CodeMonkey3;50986971]My local AMC theaters have armed security guards. Clothed and plainclothed.[/QUOTE] Only on weekend nights though I'm sure.

The idea of needing to have major security measures and guards at a movie theatre of all places frightens me. I think they should have taken the settlement. [QUOTE=Ridge;50988977]I stopped going because the whole mall just got ghetto and didn't feel safe anymore. My mom woke me up that night to say there was a shooting there and I only said "That's why I don't go to the Aurora Mall" before rolling over and falling asleep again.[/QUOTE] That uh... sounds callous and apathetic, to say the least. o.o

[QUOTE=BlackMageMari;50989084]The idea of needing to have major security measures and guards at a movie theatre of all places frightens me. I think they should have taken the settlement. That uh... sounds callous and apathetic, to say the least. o.o[/QUOTE] we have shootings often in the states, it's hard not to be callous and apathetic sometimes The ones you hear about on the news are mass shootings; gang conflicts and small-time homicides involving firearms are happening literally all the time, and are almost always only reported on by local news.

[QUOTE=BlackMageMari;50989084]That uh... sounds callous and apathetic, to say the least. o.o[/QUOTE] Well, it [I]WAS [/I]after I was woken up at 3 in the morning.

[QUOTE=Ridge;50988977]Or are they just cops? I used to go to Century 16 and there were typically one or two Aurora PD cops in the lobby and maybe a car in the parking lot on release nights. I stopped going because the whole mall just got ghetto and didn't feel safe anymore. My mom woke me up that night to say there was a shooting there and I only said "That's why I don't go to the Aurora Mall" before rolling over and falling asleep again.[/QUOTE] Nope they're armed guards. One of my friends got hired by lying about having a armed guard license and they had him on shift for all of three hours before they figured out he didn't have a gun or a license and sent him home.

[QUOTE=spiritlol;50988962]I missed the bit about them refusing to settle, in the end they really asked for this.[/QUOTE] They never should have filed to begin with. The settlement offer only exacerbates the situation. Delusions and avarice do not belong in court.