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Attorney Wants To Sue CT For $100 Million On Behalf Of Newtown Shooting Survivor
By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 29, 2012
Modified Dec 29, 2012
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 29, 2012
Modified Dec 29, 2012
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A New Haven attorney is seeking permission to file a $100 million lawsuit against the state of Connecticut on behalf of one of the survivors of the Newtown school shooting. Lawyer Irving Pinsky has filed the claim on behalf of a 6-year-old survivor, identified as "Jill Doe," accusing the state of failing to protect students from "foreseeable harm." "She was in her classroom, and over the loudspeaker came the horrific confrontation between the fellow who shot everybody and other people," Pinsky said. "Her friends were killed. That's pretty traumatic."
Altogether, 20 children and six educators were all killed when 20-year-old Adam Lanza went on his shooting spree December 14th at the Sandy Hook Elementary School; all the children were ages 6 and 7 (the shooter's mother Nancy Lanza was also killed that day). Pinsky's claim says the state Board of Education, the state Department of Education and the education commissioner failed to take steps to protect the minor children from harm: "As a consequence, the claimant-minor child has sustained emotional and psychological trauma and injury, the nature and extent of which are yet to be determined."
Pinsky has to get approval from state Claims Commissioner J. Paul Vance Jr. before the lawsuit can go forward—the state enjoys "sovereign immunity" against most lawsuits unless permission to sue is granted. But Pinsky is adamant about the seriousness of his suit: "Usually a fellow like Adam Lanza would have been known as a potential problem to the police...We all know its going to happen again. Society has to take action." If granted, this will be the first Newtown shooting-related lawsuit.
Tagged
irving pinsky
fatal shooting
newtown shooting
newtown
sandy hook elementary school
lawsuit
connecticut
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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