Scientist Awarded $5.8M in Anthrax Lawsuit

This is crap.

A former Army scientist who was named as a person of interest in the 2001 anthrax attacks will receive $5.8 million to settle his lawsuit against the Justice Department. Steven Hatfill claimed the Justice Department violated his privacy rights by speaking with reporters about the case.

Settlement documents were filed in federal court Friday. Both sides have agreed to the deal, according to the documents, and as soon as they are signed, the case will be dismissed.

The deal requires the Justice Department to pay $2.825 million up front and buy Hatfill a $3 million annuity that will pay him $150,000 each year for 20 years.

The purpose of a settlement like this should serve two purposes.  The first purpose is to repay the victim for any real damages.  The second purpose is to punish the perpetrator. 

In this case, I highly doubt that the guy really had over $5 million in damages to satisfy.  And the punishment motive is moot when the government is the perpetrator because they are not spending their own money - they are spending ours.

1. Not necessarily. Whether you agree with the settlement or not, there is another reason for the imposition of monetary damages, especially in a large amount—deterrence. The courts want to discourage this kind of behavior.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 27, 2008 at 2045 hrs




2. I think both of you missed the point.  This is a SETTLEMENT.  The government and this scientist decided this was the best.  The government can claim no fault or admission of guilt and he has to drop the suit and never be heard from again.  I think that it might be best this way because there is no judge or jury to award damages and it also does not open the door for a legal premise whenever anyone is labeled a “person of interest”.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 28, 2008 at 0246 hrs




3. I doubt that this settlement is all that exorbitant. The guy’s had how many lawyers on call dealing with this for how long? That’s no doubt where a big chunk of that $2.8M is going. Then there’s the annuity, which at $150K isn’t all that different than the compensation package he would have gotten if he hadn’t been forced out. Then finally, there’s all the damage to his reputation and privacy, neither of which he’ll ever get back. Ask yourself if he qualifies as a “public figure” now—he’d never be able to win a libel suit.

   I’d say the government got off lightly. You should be cheering that this didn’t go to a jury.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 28, 2008 at 2344 hrs