A Los Angeles Times report had said that the family of paramedic Bryan Stow is seeking punitive damages and payment for pain and suffering against the Los Angeles Dodgers for failure to protect fans adequately. Stow was beaten by Marvin Norwood and Louie Sanchez in an unprovoked attack, causing the former to have brain damage and is now permanently disabled for the rest of his life, ESPN said.
After submitting guilty pleas to assault charges causing great bodily harm, the two suspects were handed out reduced sentences as part of the arrangement. However, the punishment both Norwood and Sanchez received were of little value to the relatives of Stow.
Stow's sister Erin Collins, who addressed both Norwood and Sanchez at the defense table, said, "To say you got off easy is an understatement. Because of you both, Bryan's life was nearly taken from him and will never be the same. That also goes for his children, our parents, my sister and I, all of our family and Bryan's friends."
Even Judge George Lomeli seemed to have not been satisfied with plea bargain. Lomeli reportedly rebuked Norwood and Sanchez at the conclusion of the Stow family's statements, with his tone going harsher after he spotted Sanchez smiling.
"You don't respect the rights of individuals...You show no remorse whatsoever, no remorse to the family, and that is also something that is unfortunate. But it is a game, at the end of the day. You lost perspective," Lomeli told the suspects.
LA Times said the case against Dodgers is scheduled to go on trial by May this year. Attorney Tom Girardi, who represented Stow's family, said the defendants named in the lawsuit are the insurers of former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and are liable to the incident.
Girardi disclosed that the costs spent to care for Stow has ballooned to $5 million, and that an additional $34 million is needed to ensure that the victim is taken care of for the rest of his life.
