Army Corp of Engineers found liable for Katrina damage.
November 18, 2009 by Dusty
A lower federal court has ruled for the residents of the ninth ward and roughly 100,000 other residents of New Orleans.
The government will most likely appeal this ruling. From the NPR link:
A federal judge in New Orleans has ruled the U.S. government owes damages to residents whose homes were swamped by Hurricane Katrina’s floodwaters in 2005.
In a sometimes scathing critique of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval found “monumental negligence” in the operation and maintenance of a shipping channel called the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet.
He rejected the government’s argument that the Corps was immune from liability and had properly maintained the navigation channel, known locally as MRGO.
Flood victims had sued, arguing the widening of the channel and subsequent loss of protective wetlands turned MRGO into a speedway for Katrina’s storm surge. Judge Duval blamed government engineers for letting the shipping channel “run amok.”
Duval awarded damages of about $720,000 to four people and a business. The case has been closely watched by other Katrina victims seeking compensation from the government.
Three cheers for this judge. The ruling might not stand but he did the right thing anyway regardless of how the higher federal courts rule.
Sphere: Related ContentRelated posts:
- US Army Sgt convicted of murdering Iraqis From Jurist: US Army Sgt. Michael Leahy Jr. was convicted...
- Katrina-lest we forget.. The fourth anniversary of Katrina making landfall was today. The...
- SCOTUS refuses to hear medical marijuana challenges by San Diego and San Bernadino counties. Thank Gawd for small miracles! From FindLaw: The Supreme Court...
- Federal Judge rules Prop 8 case can proceed From Jurist: A federal judge on Wednesday refused to dismiss...
- What Now Army Of One? Now the United States is the only remaining occupier...
Well, let’s see now. The Army Corp of Engineers. Now on to those other bastards – I think we should start with that fucking Cheney.
(Damn, Dusty – now’s there’s something new to the comment box!)
Wordsmith´s last blog ..Angry Gnome News from D.C.
Hey Wordsmith! Thank you for stopping by.
I say we indict them all..they are guilty of something if not most things.
Dusty´s last blog ..Army Corp of Engineers found liable for Katrina damage.
“Duval awarded damages of about $720,000 to four people and a business.”
Better start printing a lot more money!