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Deep pockets file: Kristin Rossum murder case

Ted Frank — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 08:43:42 +0000

You may recall the case of De Villers v. County of San Diego (Mar. 2006; Jul. 2006). Kristin Rossum was found guilty of poisoning husband Gregory de Villers and trying to make his death look like a suicide; his family sued both Rossum and her employer, the county of San Diego, and a jury found that Rossum was only 75% responsible, but that still put taxpayers on the hook for $1.5 million. An appellate court has stepped in to belatedly throw out the case against the County. (via On Point)

Tags: deep pocket, Kristin Rossum, personal responsibility, San Diego, taxpayers, third party liability for crime

Deep pockets file: Kristin Rossum murder case is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Update: San Diego poisoning

Walter Olson — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 19:30:17 +0000

A judge has cut from $100 million to $10 million the punitive damages portion of an unusual verdict in a lawsuit arising from Kristin Rossum’s alleged murder by poison of her husband, Gregory de Villers. The distinctive feature of the verdict, on which we commented Mar. 27, was that the jury assigned 25 percent responsibility for the murder to Rossum’s employer, San Diego County, which employed her as a toxicologist and was said to be blameworthy for letting her steal drugs which she administered to him. (“Judge Cuts $90 Million in Damages in San Diego Murder Case”, AP/L.A. Times, Jun. 19)(via Childs).

Tags: deep pocket, Kristin Rossum, personal responsibility, San Diego, taxpayers, third party liability for crime

Update: San Diego poisoning is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

County 25% responsible for employee’s murder of husband

Walter Olson — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 00:59:36 +0000

In a sensational 2002 murder trial with echoes of the film “American Beauty”, Kristin Rossum was found guilty of poisoning husband Gregory de Villers and trying to make his death look like a suicide. Now a lawyer for de Villers’ family has convinced a jury that Rossum’s employer, San Diego County, should be held 25 percent responsible for $6 million in resulting wrongful-death damages. Rossum had access to lethal drugs through her work as a toxicologist for the county, and had not been subject to background screening; she relapsed into methamphetamine use a week before the murder. “It is not the duty of the county of San Diego to prevent a wife from murdering her husband,” said Senior Deputy County Counsel Deborah A. McCarthy, who predicted that the county would succeed in overturning the verdict on appeal. “If this case stands, it will expand public liability in a way the state of California never envisioned.” (“Millions of Dollars Awarded to Family of Man Killed by Toxicologist Wife”, North County Times, Mar. 20)(via Childs). Update Jul. 2: judge cuts verdict.

Tags: deep pocket, Kristin Rossum, personal responsibility, San Diego, taxpayers, third party liability for crime

County 25% responsible for employee’s murder of husband is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system