Family Of Protester Killed By Bulldozer Suing Caterpillar (Rachel Corrie)

[Mrs. Overall]

http://www.komotv.com/stories/35754.htm

SEATTLE - The parents of a 23-year-old activist killed while trying to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home have sued Caterpillar Inc., the company that made the bulldozer that ran over her. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court here, alleges that Caterpillar violated international and state law by providing specially designed bulldozers to Israeli Defense Forces, knowing the machines would be used to demolish homes and endanger people.

Rachel Corrie, a student at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., was standing in front of a home in a refugee camp in Rafah, a Gaza Strip city near the Egyptian border, on March 16, 2003, when a bulldozer plowed over her. "The brutal death of my daughter should never have happened," her mother, Cindy Corrie, said in a statement released by the Center for Constitutional Rights, one of the law firms handling the case. "We believe Caterpillar and the (Israeli Defense Forces) must be held accountable for their role in the attack."

Caterpillar spokeswoman Linda Fairbanks said the company had no comment on the lawsuit. However, the company released a general, written statement Tuesday that said: "Caterpillar shares the world's concern over unrest in the Middle East and we certainly have compassion for all those affected by political strife. In a telephone interview Tuesday night, Cindy Corrie said Caterpillar speaks "to being a good global citizen on their Web site and that there are things that need to be looked at other than profits, and we'd like to see them live up to that."

[AngryAmish]

1. Dumb lawsuit

Cat shareholder here.

[Enraged_Ape]

3. I'm not a Cat shareholder

And I agree this is a dumb lawsuit.

[fallout]

20. yeah sue the maker of the gun? it's the guy who drove the damn thing nt

[Teaser]

2. Sue Israel.

That would make more sense.

[sui generis]

9. Isn't it funny that the state of Israel

says that the penalty for defiance is death. What kind of person was in that bulldozer? Certainly not one of the good guys.

[trapper914]

4. This is the kind of lawsuit...

the right uses against the left. Never mind the legal actions that truly protect people and make this country a better place to live, we'll wave around a frivolous lawsuit like this and try to take away Americans' rights to fairness.

The Corrie story was tragic, but it wasn't Caterpillar's fault.

[Skittles]

5. with all due respect to Rachel's family this is f***ing ridiculous

silly

[jmowreader]

6. This is like the gunmaker lawsuits

I'm opposed to gunmaker lawsuits (suing Smith and Wesson because they made the gun a crack dealer used to kill your child) for the same reason I'm opposed to this one: once the thing is released from the manufacturer to the end user in good order, the manufacturer should have no more responsibility for the item.

Product defects are a different story. If I buy an airplane I expect that, assuming I maintain the airplane in accordance with the manufacturer's directions and fly the airplane within its limits, the wings will stay on the plane while it is in flight. If the wings fall off the plane, my survivors have clear grounds to sue the manufacturer.

In this case, the bulldozer was performing properly and did as it was directed to do by its operator. That its operator decided to squish Rachel Corrie does NOT mean Caterpillar was responsible for her death.

The driver, the driver's commander, the commander of the IDF, whoever was running the Palestinian-flattening operation and the Israeli government are responsible here.

[The Stranger]

7. Products are designed to perform functions.

The more specific that function, the more specific the design of the product.

When that function is very specific and illegal, and the design conforms to that specific illegality, the manufacturer can no longer claim ignorance to the crime for which it is being used to commit.

[hughee99]

15. If the Bulldozer in question was a "normal" one

instead of one of these "specially designed" ones, would things have turned out any different? Aren't most bulldozers designed to help demolish buildings? Aren't all capable of killing anyone in front of it? I don't see this as a "design" issue, it's an "operator" issue. I agree that if a product is designed for an illegal function, then that's one thing, but what illegal act were these bulldozers capable of doing that a normal one is not?

[The Stranger]

17. Good question.

I agree that if a product is designed for an illegal function, then that's one thing, but what illegal act were these bulldozers capable of doing that a normal one is not?

Most definitely sounds like something the jury should decide.

[Scurrilous]

19. Maybe ....

...the 'special' design (armored cab) restricted the drivers view making it unsafe to operate with civilians about. Then the design could be an issue.

[AverageJoe]

8. If the Cat is specially designed to endanger people

then I say take the bastards down.

[donsu]

11. I'm with you - the family and their lawyers arn't dumb, they must have

a case. and they would have a case if Israel asked for special things on the cats and it can be proven.

[napi21]

12. Don't bet your life on "must have a case" idea.

There are thousands of suits like this in the US. Why do you think you have all those dumb warning labels on almost everything you buy?

Buy a hair dryer, and there's a warning "Do not use in the shower".

A health food company I worked for was sued as a related party in a case where a man was bench pressing 250lbs, didn't have a spotter, and lost control of the bar. It came down across his neck and he died. The family sued York Weights, and us as the company that sold this bar and weights to their son. GUESS WHAT? THEY WON!!!!!

That was quite a few years ago, and near the beginning of all companies putting warnings, and disclaimers on their products, even though they look like common sense to us now.

They don't have to believe they have a case, they just take a shot in the dark. If they get lucky, and get a favorable jury, they make lots of $$.

[pnorman]

10. Like the others here, I too find this absurd.

I attended the Rachel Corrie Memorial Ceremony in Seattle a few years back, and even briefly met some of her family there. It is virtually INCONCEIVABLE that they're doing it for money or even "publicity". Most likely, they're doing it that way, in the (misguided) hope that it would advance the cause of what she gave her life for. I sincerely hope they rethink that stupid move.

I don't brood too much over "WHAT will the Freepers say?", but there's just so much "good will" to spare. No need to piss it away for no useful reason.

pnorman

[MisterP]

16. perhaps they do have a case

[uppityperson]

13. Get it back in the public's view and minds. Good idea

The case seems to hold no water, but getting this incident back out into the media is a very good idea.

[pauliedangerously]

14. GREAT

More ammunition for the "frivolous lawsuit" banshees.

[NNN0LHI]

18. GM, Ford, Honeywell, IBM, all stopped dealing with apartheid S. Africa

The bad press got to them. Caterpillar will quit doing business with Israel too if it begins to effect their reputation and more importantly their profits.

Don

[mutus_frutex]

24. I think that is the obvious idea.

I doubt it will make much of a dent though. I hope it doesn't. The more people do to show what happens in Gaza and the West Bank, the better.

[Postmanx]

21. Perhaps

All Cats will now have a warning label on the blade advising against laying in front of them.

[blm]

23. Some would say your post sounds like Dennis Miller channeling Hannity.

.

[mutus_frutex]

25. I hope your post doesn't get deleted.

Because I want everyone to see what type of "liberal" you are.

Have you ever heard of pacific resistance? I thought that most liberals accepted it as good. But well, maybe you are not a liberal when it comes to Israel's actions.

[Cocoa]

22. shhhhhhh!

that name (R.C.) must NOT be uttered. :spank:

[Moderator]

26. locking

discussion here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x88297