Oberlin defamation suit and verdict : not a good optic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This reminds me of the Hulk Hogan victory over Gawker. The jury was sending a message.

Let it not escape the attention of the chattering class elites how despised they are by the general public.

THIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The contempt the school has for others is what is most striking.

Yup. It backfired spectacularly.

+100
I truly hope this man and his family receive every dime they are owed. What unbelievable hubris on the part of Oberlin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now, with punitive damages, the total jury award is $44 million. Wow.

Actually the punitives are capped by state law at twice the compensatory damages.

So the $33 million punitive awarded will automatically be reduced to $22 million.

That means the plaintiff will receive $33 million in total ($11 million compensatory plus $22 million punitive) plus attorneys fees and costs.

https://legalinsurrection.com/2019/06/oberlin-college-hit-with-maximum-punitive-damages-capped-at-22-million-by-law-in-gibsons-bakery-case/

That's an insane amount of money.

I assume the college is insured against things like this?

That's why the insurance companies are trying to submit a motion. They don't want to have to pay out all this money because of a bunch of stupid students and a silly dean.

It will be interesting if this award is upheld because you better believe that every insurance company will be quickly reevaluating all their insurance policies with the colleges. There are pros and cons to this. The upside is that it would hopefully force the colleges to be a lot more careful in how they endorse/support student protests. Which is sensible.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/evangerstmann/2019/06/13/ohio-jury-hits-oberlin-college-with-ferocious-and-illegal-punitive-damages/amp/?fbclid=IwAR0JvAT_BRf1V8fh0Ftb6bo7QNGTERgNhv_8NPd-8vaYSM_jx9KLQcROKFA

I read the commentary and respect the writer's opinion. He brings up several excellent points and I also agree that the jury award was ridiculous and the jury can be argued to be seeking to punish Oberlin rather than seeking the fairest remedy.

As he stated, "But courts are supposed to temper anger with a respect for the rule of law." One can argue that Oberlin did not show respect for the rule of law as evidenced by the Dean's attitude and handling of the police's investigation. More to that, Oberlin was at fault for allowing a certain campus and thought climate to flourish that led to the protests and encounter with the bakery, which the writer himself admits. The question then becomes what is the fair remedy for the situation? Did the college use its influence to try to tamper with the bakery's actions? And the bakery's commercial activities by endorsing the student protests and suspending trading activities with the bakery and called other suppliers to do the same? To what extent are financial damages justified in the name of freedom of speech?

All these are surely questions to be addressed when considering a fair remedy to the lawsuit. It will be interesting to see what follows.

? That's why they're called punitive damages. The compensatory damages were 11 million

+1

What do you seriously think is a "fair remedy" to a relentless, strategic and malicious attack on your character, your livelihood, your retirement and the legacy for your dependents? Something that wiped out your retirement accounts, caused you extreme stress and anxiety and health issues, the risk of physical danger to yourself and your family, and something that could ultimately drive you out of your home and actually the entire town where you had made a life? Accusing you of what is essentially a hate crime? What's fair for that?? Five bucks??

Oberlin is a well established and formerly well respected institution, which is why the smear campaign worked in the first place. Outrageous. They can pay, and so they should.

+1,000,000
They should pay and they should apologize to this man.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will the feckless college administrators who allowed this to happen be fired? Their refusal to apologize or even acknowledge the student activists had done anything wrong surely contributed to the huge punitive damages award.

No, there will be no accountability. Clown college.

It is surreal that the dumb Dean of Students is still there.

It’s one thing for the students to protest. It sounds like the school administration organized, used school resources and funding to attack people associated with this business and the business. The question is will this judgement change anything at the school? Does not seem so. If the judgement was more maybe the board of governors would step in and take action. Everyone in the administration who took part in this needs to be terminate...include the lawyers for the school. The administration sounds like a bunch of power tripping jerk offs...not that uncommon in academia.

Completely agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty crazy that the "victim" they decided to take a stand for was a guy who tried to steal wine and then beat up the owner... WTF?

Good for this business and shame on Oberlin.

I am a liberal and idiots like this give us a bad name

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child attends Oberlin and started after this event happened. While it doesn’t reflect well on some students and some administrators it’s not representative of everyone. It’s a great community and my child is thriving. Seems like people on this board have way too much time on their hands. Just don’t send your child there if you can’t get past this issue. Oberlin will do fine in the long run.

Do fine?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child attends Oberlin and started after this event happened. While it doesn’t reflect well on some students and some administrators it’s not representative of everyone. It’s a great community and my child is thriving. Seems like people on this board have way too much time on their hands. Just don’t send your child there if you can’t get past this issue. Oberlin will do fine in the long run.

Do fine?

No, it's a glimpse into the soul of an institution. The taint of this will not soon be overcome.

[Anonymous]

Meredith Raimundo, the dean of students, actively participated in the student demonstrations, even helped direct their actions - lending the college's official support to the claims of racism and attempt to economically damage the Gibson's business. She needs to be fired. If they don't fire her it is proof the school just doesn't get it.

[Anonymous]

Meh, in another news, Duke scientists exposed for massive scientific fraud...

https://m.washingtontimes.com/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meh, in another news, Duke scientists exposed for massive scientific fraud...

https://m.washingtontimes.com/

https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/mar/25/duke-pay-1125m-settlement-faked-research/?fbclid=IwAR2jTaQyVmBO6Kt7VNP1chRLIlWcd6NHS4LOURjxG3AHxNM_xIXS2W4dhHU

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meh, in another news, Duke scientists exposed for massive scientific fraud...

https://m.washingtontimes.com/

What does this have to do with Oberlin?

Are you the same poster who earlier tried to claim what Oberlin did was ok because it wasn't as bad as what happened at other colleges?

As it is, in your linked article, Duke paid out a fortune. So it looks like there's good grounds for Oberlin to pay out a fortune too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh, in another news, Duke scientists exposed for massive scientific fraud...

https://m.washingtontimes.com/

What does this have to do with Oberlin?

Are you the same poster who earlier tried to claim what Oberlin did was ok because it wasn't as bad as what happened at other colleges?

As it is, in your linked article, Duke paid out a fortune. So it looks like there's good grounds for Oberlin to pay out a fortune too!

Meh, in another news, Catholic Church exposes for massive abuse... $300 million in just a 12 month period.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/06/04/us/catholic-church-300-million-abuse-claims/index.html

Oberlin has always been on the right side of history. That’s the difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh, in another news, Duke scientists exposed for massive scientific fraud...

https://m.washingtontimes.com/

https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/mar/25/duke-pay-1125m-settlement-faked-research/?fbclid=IwAR2jTaQyVmBO6Kt7VNP1chRLIlWcd6NHS4LOURjxG3AHxNM_xIXS2W4dhHU

the article says Duke took responsibility for the actions of its faculty member, unlike Oberlin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh, in another news, Duke scientists exposed for massive scientific fraud...

https://m.washingtontimes.com/

What does this have to do with Oberlin?

Are you the same poster who earlier tried to claim what Oberlin did was ok because it wasn't as bad as what happened at other colleges?

As it is, in your linked article, Duke paid out a fortune. So it looks like there's good grounds for Oberlin to pay out a fortune too!

Meh, in another news, Catholic Church exposes for massive abuse... $300 million in just a 12 month period.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/06/04/us/catholic-church-300-million-abuse-claims/index.html

Oberlin has always been on the right side of history. That’s the difference.

Jury appeared to disagree :Maybe the school's lawyers failed to get that [debatable] viewpoint inserted into the jury instructions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh, in another news, Duke scientists exposed for massive scientific fraud...

https://m.washingtontimes.com/

What does this have to do with Oberlin?

Are you the same poster who earlier tried to claim what Oberlin did was ok because it wasn't as bad as what happened at other colleges?

As it is, in your linked article, Duke paid out a fortune. So it looks like there's good grounds for Oberlin to pay out a fortune too!

Meh, in another news, Catholic Church exposes for massive abuse... $300 million in just a 12 month period.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/06/04/us/catholic-church-300-million-abuse-claims/index.html

Oberlin has always been on the right side of history. That’s the difference.

That may be the dumbest argument ever on DCUM, which says quite a bit.