Suits Filed by Smuggling Deaths Families

[Kelarie]

I am not sure what to say about this. I put this up to get y'alls thoughts...
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Wed Aug 3,12:26 AM ET

VICTORIA, Texas - Relatives of seven people who died in the nation's deadliest immigrant smuggling attempt have sued the maker of a trailer, a trucking company and the driver.

The lawsuits, with allegations ranging from product liability to wrongful death and negligence, seek millions of dollars in damages. U.S. District Judge John Rainey will hold pretrial hearings beginning Sept. 6.

The smuggling scheme ended in horror in May 2003 when the closed trailer, bound for Houston from South Texas, was abandoned at a truck stop near Victoria. Seventeen people died inside the trailer of dehydration, overheating and suffocation. Two died later.

The suits name Great Dane Trailers of Savannah, Ga., Salem Truck Leasing and driver Tyrone Williams. None had responded in court as of Tuesday, the Victoria Advocate reported in its Wednesday editions.

A call placed late Tuesday to Great Dane Trailers was not answered. The leasing company could not immediately be reached for comment.

The relatives in the lawsuits listed six of the victims as being from Mexico and one from Honduras.

A jury in March convicted Williams on 38 charges of transporting illegal immigrants.

[GalvestonDuck]

I'm not even sure they can sue the driver, can they? Isn't there a law the prevents non-citizens from suing citizens? I don't know...need to look it up but I thought I'd heard something about that.

As for suing the trucking company or the makers of the trailer for product liability? Come on! It's a freight-hauling truck, not a passenger vehicle. That's like suing the maker of a pair of scissors after you cut your finger trying to break a lock on a door, isn't it?

[Aslkahuna]

This is the US-people can sue anyone for anything. The Lawyers need to make more money.

Steve

[streetsoldier]

Another frivolous attempt at wresting $$$ from illegal activity, IMHO.

[GalvestonDuck]

This is the US-people can sue anyone for anything. The Lawyers need to make more money.

Sure, if they're citizens. But can non-citizens sue?

[sweetpea]

Unbelievable!!!!!

[Aslkahuna]

Yes, they can since there are lawsuits pending here in AZ that have been filed by illegals or by the Mexican Government on their behalf.

Steve

[TexasStooge]

I'm not surprised at all.

[gtalum]

Sure, if they're citizens. But can non-citizens sue?

Yes. As was mentioned, anyone can sue anyone except for the government. You have to have the government's permission to sue the government.

[gtalum]

Heck, you never even have to set foot in the US to sue here. People sue multinational corporations (even non-US based ones) in the US whenever an incident happens, even outside of the US. They can do that as long as that company does business within the US. They do it because we have the most lucrative litigation system for plaintiffs.

[gtalum]

All that said, in thsi case suing the driver is completely legitimate. Even suing the trucking company woul dbe okay, since companies are responsible for their employees' actions on the clock. However, suits against the truck maker and leasing company are truly frivolous.

[TexasStooge]

Got another smuggling-related story:
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Fort Worth police stop highway smuggler

By REBECCA RODRIGUEZ / WFAA ABC 8

FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth police who pulled over a truck for a routine traffic stop Friday morning uncovered a human smuggling operation apparently being run by a truck driver.

There were two children—ages 6 and 13—among the four Brazilians and four Mexicans in the truck. All were in good condition.

The undocumented aliens were awaiting deportation.

The auto hauler was pulled over by the Fort Worth Police Department's Commercial Vehicle Inspection team about 8:30 a.m. near the intersection of Interstate 20 and Highway 377 in far southwest Fort Worth.

Officers said the driver was evasive when they began asking him questions about his rig.

They then tried talking to a woman seated inside the cab; she couldn't understand the officers, even when they were speaking Spanish.

The woman produced paperwork indicating she was a Mexican national. For the driver, it was all downhill from there.

"That's where the story sort of started breaking down," said Fort Worth police Lt. Dean Sullivan. "The driver changed his story: 'Well, that's not my wife, she's a friend.' "

Sullivan said officers then noticed heads popping out from behind the curtain in the truck's sleeping area behind the cab.

The driver of the Action Hauler auto transport vehicle—whom police called a known smuggler—was arrested on outstanding warrants.

The truck was impounded for further inspection.

[stormie_skies]

All that said, in thsi case suing the driver is completely legitimate. Even suing the trucking company woul dbe okay, since companies are responsible for their employees' actions on the clock. However, suits against the truck maker and leasing company are truly frivolous.

I agree.

And I think its ridiculous that the driver didn't face a harsher penalty. Texas hands out death sentences like candy on Halloween, but a man is directly responsible for the deaths of 17 people, and its taken off the table???

Seems like quite a discrepancy to me. Does anyone know what his final sentence was (as far as years in prison go)?

I don't think he should ever walk free again....