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Supreme Court refuses to hear Texas A&M bonfire case
Houston Chronicle ^ | March 9, 2008

Posted on 03/09/2009 10:53:27 AM PDT by Zakeet

The Supreme Court today refused to consider whether the mother of a Texas A&M student injured in a deadly bonfire collapse nearly a decade ago can sue because of the damage to her relationship to her son.

The high court refused to hear an appeal from Nancy Braus, who sued Texas A&M University officials and others after her son Dominic was injured in the Nov. 18, 1999 log pile collapse that killed 12 people and injured 27.

Lower courts have thrown out Braus’ lawsuit, saying Texas law does not allow a parent to sue for the loss of a normal relationship with their child because of a severe injury.

The 90-year-old bonfire tradition was suspended after the 1999 collapse of the 59-foot-high, wedding cake-like stack of more than 5,000 logs. An A&M commission blamed the collapse on flawed construction techniques and the lack of adequate supervision of students assembling the stack.

(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: aggie; bonfire; lawsuit; supremecourt

A sad incident finally comes to a close.

1 posted on 03/09/2009 10:53:28 AM PDT by Zakeet
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To: Zakeet

I wonder if the kids in the structural engineering school got failing grades that semester.


2 posted on 03/09/2009 10:55:54 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Socialism is the belief that most people are better off if everyone was equally poor and miserable.)
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To: Zakeet

I knew one of the girls killed in the collapse. That was a devastating event. The parents handled it with more grace than I think I could have. God bless them.


3 posted on 03/09/2009 10:56:05 AM PDT by brytlea (Proud descendent of Andrew Kent, Alamo Defender)
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To: Zakeet

Nice to see the frivolous lawsuit tossed.


4 posted on 03/09/2009 10:58:50 AM PDT by rwfromkansas ("Carve your name on hearts, not marble." - C.H. Spurgeon)
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To: rwfromkansas

after 10 years....


5 posted on 03/09/2009 11:00:28 AM PDT by stylin19a (Obama - the ethical exception asterisk administration)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

Kids in the Engineering courses are squares and were not invited to participate.

It was designed by a cheerleader.

Cheerleaders pile bodies high and so have more experience.


6 posted on 03/09/2009 11:01:25 AM PDT by Dan(9698)
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To: brytlea

One of the women that works for me is the sister of one of the Red Pots.


7 posted on 03/09/2009 11:02:20 AM PDT by r-q-tek86 (The U.S. Constitution may be flawed, but it's a whole lot better than what we have now)
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To: Dan(9698)
We don't have "cheerleaders"


8 posted on 03/09/2009 11:03:51 AM PDT by r-q-tek86 (The U.S. Constitution may be flawed, but it's a whole lot better than what we have now)
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To: Dan(9698)

I wouldn’t mind being in a pile of cheerleaders;^)


9 posted on 03/09/2009 11:15:41 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Socialism is the belief that most people are better off if everyone was equally poor and miserable.)
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To: r-q-tek86

This is true! Course, when my friend who had invited me to A&M for the weekend said it’s time to go to Kyle Field, I heard “it’s time to go to COW field.” I really thought we were going to watch the game in the country! I was corrected and made to walk in the street with the rest of the fish...


10 posted on 03/09/2009 11:22:06 AM PDT by RebelTXRose
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To: RebelTXRose
KYLE Field...

COW Field...

Get it?... longhorns... cow...

11 posted on 03/09/2009 11:28:50 AM PDT by r-q-tek86 (The U.S. Constitution may be flawed, but it's a whole lot better than what we have now)
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To: Zakeet
Hot Texas A&M Aggie Football Girl Pictures, Images and Photos

Put her in coach, maybe you'll beat Baylor...

12 posted on 03/09/2009 11:29:32 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: Zakeet
Not surprising the Supremes didn't take this. It's really a state law issue, not federal.
13 posted on 03/09/2009 11:35:36 AM PDT by colorado tanker (Oh my God, am I hoping for change.)
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To: rwfromkansas

I’m curious how you define “frivolous” in this case.


14 posted on 03/09/2009 11:41:07 AM PDT by jdub (A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.)
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To: Zakeet

You can’t kill tradition at TAMU. My son is a freshman there and they STILL do bonfire. The school can have nothing to do with it due to the lawsuits, insurance, etc., but the students organize it themselves. They harvest the wood and build the bonfire on the properties of alumni and other supporters off-campus. They have turned it into a competion with multiple bonfires, teams, judging, etc. My son’s team was a group from his dorm. Due to concerns related to the 1999 collaps they can only do a single tier as opposed to the stacked tiers that you see in the photo but it still makes a geat fire.


15 posted on 03/09/2009 11:51:24 AM PDT by JG52blackman
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To: r-q-tek86

GOT IT!!! Thanks for the pics!

But, we were IN College Station...


16 posted on 03/09/2009 12:54:10 PM PDT by RebelTXRose
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