Posted on 08/26/2006 10:48:53 AM PDT by bwteim
NEW ORLEANS A New Orleans man may have thought he'd get a thank-you for rescuing more than 200 people from Hurricane Katrina floodwaters.
Instead, he got a lawsuit.
John Lyons Junior is suing Mark Morice (mohr-EES') for taking his boat without permission and not returning it. Lyons' lawyer says Morice made no attempt to return the boat.
Morice says he left it for other rescuers to use. Lyons' 18-foot boat was one of three Morice said he commandeered after water started rising. Morice said one of the other boat owners told him he was glad he'd been able to hot-wire the boat, and the other boat owner apparently hasn't complained.
A big suit by John Lyons Junior (potential mo-ron) could leave Morice (mohr-EES') marooned (ma-ruined). Perhaps Morice (mohr-EES') will have to pass a bailer (buck-et) around.
He should have returned the boat after using it.
Special circumstance. Screw Lyons.
If I am not mistaken, Mark Morice is a personal injury attorney in New Orleans.
I wonder if Morice, well, mohr-ESS, ended up with a totally trashed boat that his insurance company said "Not covered", the local government said "Pfff." and FEMA said "Ha." to?
I'm pretty sure this is a last resort, or at least I'd like to think it is.
The article says he passed it on to other rescuers.
Furthermore, with God knows how many feet of water they were dealing with by the end of rescue operations, it was probably impossible to locate the owner's land or to secure the boat if they could.
That is Lyon's point
http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl082506khboatlawsuit.34f44815.html
"Lyons is suing Morice for $12,000 - the amount that his insurance won't pay."
"Lyons attorney, who did not want to talk on camera, said his client was not upset that the boat was used in rescue missions, but said that the boat should have been returned."
Same article:
Lyons' boat was behind a gate and partially submerged in water, but the key was in the ignition.
"I did it out of necessity; I did it for my neighbors," Morice said. "I did it because I've got eyes, ears; the ability to be able to work and react. That's why I did it."
...
"Morice said he left the boat on Friday at St. Charles Avenue to be used in other rescues when he evacuated."
Lyons should sue the city if anything. Those people wouldn't have needed rescue if the city hadn't left the yellow submarines parked at the bottom of lake New Orleans to begin with.
Is the boat still missing?
I doubt it, if it was, Lyon's wouldn't know who used it, or how it was used, and certainly wouldn't know who to sue.
Yeh...like Morice was out joy-riding... maybe the good ship Lie-ons needs a permanent sinking to the depths along with El Capitain Scrooge on board.
I guess reparation to Junior would be to return his boat and kill the 200 people.
From http://davidburn.com/index.php?id=D20050904
Sun Sep 04, 2005
Media Misses The Boat In New Orleans
My friend, Lori Cotton, forwarded an e-mail today from New Orleans attorney, Mark Morice.
Dear Friends,
I want to thank all of you for your heartfelf responses of love, encouragement and offerings of shelter. I also want to thank all of you have offered employment. I am with my mother and brother at his house in Morgan City, Louisiana, only 87 miles West of N.O. My father is doing fine as he was able to evacuate as well.
As many of you know, I have spent the last four days living in the second floor of my neighbor's home on Napoleon Avenue with 8 1/2 feet of water on my doorstep. I was blessed to have two good friends stay with me who recognized the needs of our neighbors, and accepted the dangers and perils of being a volunteer during a time of mass tradgedy, compounded by confusion, poor planning and an inconconceivable response. Their names are Beaux Whalen and Paul Gonzalzles and I am eternally greatful for their company, encouragement and ideas.
Beaux, Paul and I spent four days in boats going from house to house in the immediate flooded areas around my home. We started at daylight and drove our boats home at sunset. We were able to rescue over 100 neighbors, but we had to leave thousands behind. We focused on areas where no other water-based rescue operations were taking place and we could not travel more than one block without hearing the cries for help, people beating from the inside of attics and the pleas for supplies. These people were confused, scared, dehydrated, hungry, tired, elderly, disabled, people needing oxygen, needing dialysis.
The wealthier neighbors kept tabs on which neighbors were staying. They also had communication equipment and plenty of essential supplies. The poorer neighbors were not as organized. They had water for only a day or two. Sixteen people to some houses. The poor continue to suffer the most. They have no idea how to swim and many are taught that playing with a pit bull would be safer than going into the water for fear of drowning. So they have stayed in their houses, baking, dying.
We had a radio at night to keep us "informed." Our local news radio station, WWL, failed miserably. They were not broadcasting where the drop off stations were. They were not informing the locals stuck in the water of the best escape routes. While we heard screams at night and banging on rooftops from trapped survivors, WWL was entertaining political debate discussing fault, blame and rebuilding New Orleans. Why weren't they discussing volunteer efforts and relief? Still today, where is their leadership?
While I don't think it is an appropriate time to share share the sad realities of what I've seen in N.O. as I type this message to you all, I say that I am glad to share the details if you want to know.
I am very greatful to be alive and I am deeply troubled and saddened that I left. I never met one aggressive person. I was never intimidated. I felt no threat of violence, other than the mass hype being proliferated by the media. The reports of the media caused me and many other volunteers to leave the city in fear of our lives - maybe this was good, I just don't know.
I am in Morgan City and I can mobilize over 100 people who will be happy to participate in saving lives TODAY. They are local fisherman and sportsman who have boats and are willing to go into the city with me - but we can not get any clearance. No response from the Mayor's office. No response from the federal agencies I have contacted. My friends in Morgan City report that over 400 volunteer fisherman from the St. Martin, St. Mary and Lafayette area have been turned around and told they could not go into the City of New Orleans because is was "too dangerous" or for some other reason. I have been sending a video and details of this disaster to news agencies around the country. I am hoping that someone can get through to the "brass." My fear is that it is all too little and too late.
For all of my friends who live in other cities around our country, please don't let this happen to you. Make sure your Mayor has a plan. Make sure your Governor has a plan. You don't want to be walking around your home town FIVE DAYS AFTER a national emergency wondering why you, as a private citizen, can still see with your unaided eyes hundreds of people trapped, dying slowly, with no hope of survival.
The day I can return to New Orleans, I will. I will help clean the streets, remove the debris and rebuild my city according to the historical codes that are in place. I will help the displaced and assist in relief efforts. The spirit of New Orleans will not be broken. Our natives are strong, generous and carry the same passion for the Crescent City that I have shared with you all.
I thank our Lord for guidance and support during those solitude and lonely nights on "lake Napoleon." I thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers and text messages of encouragement. I thank Beaux and Paul for making our small volunteer effort possible.
Again,
Thank you and God Bless you all,
Mark Morice
Lyons sounds like the kind of guy who would send a posse after the kid who stole the school bus to rescue people.
The rest of the punk puke thugs dogs would have stolen it. This guy should just file it on his homeowners insurance. OOOOHHHH maybe he was one of the 100s of thousands who didn't even have homeowners insurance much less flood ins.
I wouldnt worry too much, I dont think there is a jury in the country that would make the rescuer pay a dime.
The plantiff will have a hard time winning if it's a Jury Trial. Life and Death trumphs personal property in Jury minds.
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