“A federal judge ruled Friday that the manufacturer of an ankle monitor should pay $191,400 to the family of an Arlington woman killed in 1997 by an ex-boyfriend who cut off the transmitter 400 feet from her home without triggering an alarm. U.S. District Judge Terry Means held the manufacturer, Boulder, Colo.,-based B.I. Inc., 20 percent liable in Karen Sawyers’ death, but assigned 70 percent of the responsibility to gunman Joseph Whitlow, who committed suicide after killing Sawyers.” The judge, presiding over a bench trial, assigned 10 percent liability to the murder victim herself for her killing because she was drunk and had methampetamine in her system at the time of her death. A plaintiff’s attorney expressed disappointment that the manufacturer had not been held liable for a greater share of the blame. (“Ankle monitor’s maker held 20% responsible in killing” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Sept. 26).
Judge: killer is 70% responsible for killing
“A federal judge ruled Friday that the manufacturer of an ankle monitor should pay $191,400 to the family of an Arlington woman killed in 1997 by an ex-boyfriend who cut off the transmitter 400 feet from her home without triggering an alarm. U.S. District Judge Terry Means held the manufacturer, Boulder, Colo.,-based B.I. Inc., 20 […]
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