Paging Jack Nicholas in The Shining. This woman has been here before! :)
Posted on 01/19/2007 1:43:25 PM PST by Responsibility2nd
A jury in the civil trial of Clara Harris, the Friendswood dentist convicted of running over her husband with her car, has awarded the parents of her late husband $1.875 million each for their pain and suffering.
Jurors in state District Judge David J. Bernal's court deliberated 10 hours over two days before reaching the unanimous verdict this afternoon.
Gerald and Mildred Harris of Pearland filed a wrongful death lawsuit against their daughter-in-law for loss of companionship, mental anguish and loss of financial support. Their son, David, a successful Clear Lake area orthodontist, they said, had promised to provide for them financially as they got up in age.
The Harrises had asked for about $5 million.
Clara Harris was convicted in February 2003 of murder for running over her husband with her Mercedes-Benz the evening of July 24, 2002 - an evening in which David Harris had promised he would end his affair. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison although she is appealing her conviction.
In closing arguments Thursday, Dean Blumrosen, an attorney for Harris, urged the jury of six men and six women to show the same kind of compassion that the Harrises did toward their daughter-in-law in her criminal case.
In the criminal case, Gerald and Mildred Harris asked that she be given probation.
A large settlement, he said, is the "equivalent of a civil death penalty for Clara."
Joe Stephens, the attorney for Gerald and Mildred Harris, suggested jurors in state District Judge David Bernal's court award Gerald Harris, 77, a retired school administrator, and his wife, Mildred Harris, 73, each $2 million for their suffering and another $720,000 to pay for retirement-home living should they need it.
The Harrises have contended during the weeklong trial that their son, David Harris, who was a successful Clear Lake-area orthodontist, had promised to support them financially as they got on in age.
Unlike criminal cases, in which a verdict must be unanimous, only 10 jurors have to agree on a verdict in a civil case.
She is appealing her conviction.
David Harris' death drew national media attention because of the sensational circumstances surrounding the July 24, 2002, death.
Harris was accused of running over her husband numerous times with her Mercedes-Benz while her then-16-year-old stepdaughter was a front-seat passenger.
The incident in the parking lot of the Nassau Bay Hilton Hotel was captured on videotape by a private detective hired by Clara Harris to keep an eye on her husband.
Civil death penalty?
What a crock!
Paging Jack Nicholas in The Shining. This woman has been here before! :)
Oh wait, she already did that.
Ridiculous! I'm sorry they lost their adulterous rat of a son (just a personal aside there, LOL!) but they don't deserve a dime as far as money goes. Yeesh!
Ridiculous! I'm sorry they lost their adulterous rat of a son (just a personal aside there, LOL!) but they don't deserve a dime as far as money goes. Yeesh!
Like the killer deserves to keep the money?
Of course, he was doing the wild thing with his secretary, and - well - Clara got her revenge.
Freepers have family values. I applaud you for that.
Of course not. Set up a trust for the children who have no Dad and won't have a Mom for 20 years...and most likely never again. Who can forgive one parent killing the other?
If the money is going to be used by the Grandparents to finish raising the kids, or to pay for their college if they're beyond being minors by now, then fine.
I've just never seen parents sue for "future earnings" that they say their son "promised" to them to pad their own retirement lifestyle. And I've never seen a court actually grant it.
I guess if my son were to die, suing for his "future earnings" would be the last thing on my mind. I'd be hellbent on revenge and justice for his killer, even if she were my Daughter-in-Law.
Seen this one? What is this...weird, greedy parents day? ;)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1770361/posts
I've just never seen parents sue for "future earnings" that they say their son "promised" to them to pad their own retirement lifestyle. And I've never seen a court actually grant it.
I guess if my son were to die, suing for his "future earnings" would be the last thing on my mind. I'd be hellbent on revenge and justice for his killer, even if she were my Daughter-in-Law.
People receive money for the death of their children all the time. If the son were killed by a wealthy drunk driver this wouldn't seem strange at all. The wierd thing about expecting the son to take care of his parents in their old age is that it's becoming a rarety these days.
While anything short of death falls short of justice taking the killers money helps.
If Clara wanted revenge she should have seen an attorney, that is what they are for. Glad to see her pay, only right.
I just find it all beyond what I would do. Hope the money alleviates their pain in some way...if they ever see dime-one. Why aren't they concerned about their Grandkids? Did I miss that in the article? Or were they only hers and not his?
I'd have a hard time spending blood money, but that's just me. :)
Seen this one? What is this...weird, greedy parents day? ;)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1770361/posts
Yes, I saw that one. While I can sympathize with the parents desire to have children/grandchildren, it certainly is wierd. Who do you tell to go collect the semen from your dead son?
*SHIVER* As I said, it's "weird parents" day around here, LOL!
Clara should not get a dime of her MURDERED husbands money. She should rot in jail and the parents should get it all. She is a murderess
Why aren't the kids considered here? Shouldn't their welfare (and most likely therapy bills until they're older) be the primary consideration?
ARE the Grandparents using this money to take care of the Grandkids? I can't find that they are.
Clara killed her husband. Whatever monetary assets she acquired through their marriage, she should not be able to keep them. If nothing else, monetary assets should be put in trust for their daughter (who was 16 at the time of the murder IIRC and is now an adult). I'm a bit undecided as to the legitimacy of the claim the husband's parents have for compensation, but I would be hesitant to condemn them since they did lose their son (regardless of the fact that he was an adulterous lout) when she decided to put the suspension on her Mercedes SUV through an extreme road test over his body. (And as far as I know, the only folks that still seriously advocate the death penalty for adultery are the types we are fighting against in the Middle East.)
you have NEVER understood Clarita and this unfortunate accident!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.