Economics Professor Awarded $27.5m for Looking Like a Terrorist

SexyGreyFox

SexyGreyFox

SexyGreyFox

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Samantha Carrington, an economics professor from California, was arrested because a flight attendant thought she looked like a terrorist.

A jury on El Paso, Texas ordered Southwest Airlines to pay Carrington $27.5m (£15.7m) for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution. Flight attendants found her suspicious because of her appearance and accused her of being beligerant.

Ms. Carrington is of Iranian origin and had been traveling to Los Angeles to see her cancer-stricken mother. She was pleased by the verdict but has been unable to clear her name off of terror watchlists. Southwest has plans to appeal the ruling.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1752799,00.html

Now wheres my Osama mask gone?
 
Diskbox said:
thats pathetic, why does she deseve $27 million.
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"false imprisonment and malicious prosecution"

I am not saying she deserves that much, maybe she does, we don't know the full details.

It is not pathetic.
 
Diskbox said:
thats pathetic, why does she deseve $27 million.
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Obviously you've never been through any trauma in your life. It leaves you feeling completely empty and void; it leaves the sort of hole only millions upon millions of dollars can fill. ;)
 
Falsely imprisoned, maliciously prosecuted and she remains (incorrectly) on terrorist watchlists.

Out of all the 'OMG LOOK AT HOW MUCH' lawsuits that have gone round, the amount of cash in this one is probably the closest proportionally to events.
 
I agree it is a perfectly reasonable amount. Maybe it's slightly disproportionate to her suffering, but is certainly appropriate that the airline should be fined a significant amount such as this
 
I think in the USA compensation is designed to be punitry. Which is why you get these ridiculous sums of money. Whereas in the UK its purely compensatory.
 
If I was mistaken for one of those pathetic excuses of a human beings that crashed into the World Trade Center, or any terrorist in fact, I'd do and expect as much as I can.

To be thought of as one of them is a massive insult to anyone.

Edit: It's all relative to the companies/organisations income. They wouldn't fine a stationery shop this much, but find to put a dent in their finances as a punishment.

Phil.
 
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j00ni said:
I agree it is a perfectly reasonable amount. Maybe it's slightly disproportionate to her suffering, but is certainly appropriate that the airline should be fined a significant amount such as this
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Im so glad that you have no control over anything that effects me. Thats the most absurd thing ive ever heard.

A bouncer once said i didnt look 18. 1million please now!!!!
 
xolotl said:
I think in the USA compensation is designed to be punitry. Which is why you get these ridiculous sums of money. Whereas in the UK its purely compensatory.
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Spot on, awards like these are normally compensation + punitive (to act as a punishment), the former being the greater sum. Any appeal would be likely against the level of punitive damages.

Jokester
 
sedm1000 said:
Placed on a terrorist watchlist means that you can no longer fly in the US?

12-month tickets for Amtrack aren`t cheap...
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Cant they just as easily remove her from said list, say sorry and maybe give her some free flights. Or 50k or something. How does anyone need 27million in any case.

Gilly said:
Absurd? I strongly disagree :)
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OK then, let put this in perspective. She probably would never earn 27million in her life time, she probably wouldn't even earn a million in her life time. So if she has to stay on this list, i can see some inconvience, but at a cost i dont think its gona be 27m

So poor poor her, maybe the oddly of cash will make her feel better. ahhhhhhhhhh isnt that nice. Gilly ahhhhhhhhh

Absurd.

Not let go back to the real world.
Give her an written apology from the airline, give her free flights or something as a gift for your ignorance. Then remove her from the list.

Sometimes i think i should run the world!
 
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I'd love to know the formula used to calculate these massive damages awards. :D

Why not $17.5m? or $10m? or $10,000?
 
xolotl said:
I think in the USA compensation is designed to be punitry. Which is why you get these ridiculous sums of money. Whereas in the UK its purely compensatory.
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Since when was false imprisonment worth that much? People have been through much worse and receieved much less for their trouble...
 
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