Oberlin College asks for mistrial in Gibson's case

The Morning Journal ^ | 6/11/19 | Keith Reynolds

[jeannineinsd]

Attorneys for Oberlin College and Dean of Students Meredith Raimondo moved for a mistrial June 11 in a libel suit brought against them by Gibson’s Food Mart and Bakery.

On June 7, a Lorain County Common Pleas Court jury awarded the plaintiffs $11 million.

The jury was scheduled to hear the punitive portion of the trial, but attorneys for Oberlin College produced five motions to the court moments before they were to return to the courtroom.

Because of this, Common Pleas Judge John R. Miraldi called a recess while he reviewed the motions and released the jury for the day.

In making his oral motion asking for the mistrial, Ronald D. Holman II claimed the case could not go forward because Miraldi did not require the jurors to break down their June 7 rulings on compensatory damage by each claim.

This same jury has ruled the College and Raimondo committed libel against David R. Gibson, his father, Allyn W. Gibson, and their business, Gibson Bros. Inc., which owns Gibson's Food Mart and Bakery.

They also found Oberlin College had inflicted intentional emotion distress again David and Allyn Gibson and that Raimondo interfered with the business relationship between Gibson Bros. Inc. and the College.

The jury awarded $5.8 million in compensatory damages to David Gibson, $3 million to Allyn Gibson and $2,274,500 to Gibson Bros. Inc., which operates the bakery.

Holman argued the lack of a breakdown of how much money was based on which claim would make it impossible for Miraldi to instruct the jury on how much money they could award in punitive damages.

Miraldi did not rule on the motion from the bench. The trial is scheduled to continue at 10 a.m. June 12.

[jeannineinsd]

Well I guess this was to be expected. Oberlin College will try everything they possibly can to avoid paying the damages the jury awarded to the Gibsons.

We will see how the judge rules on the mistrial request.

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[Steely Tom]

We’ll just have the judge toss the jury’s verdict into the garbage can.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Well, I hope their own lawyers suck them dry and still lose.

[Ann Archy]

Embrace the SUCK, you LIBERALS!!

[Steely Tom]

We will see how the judge rules on the mistrial request.

They're setting up a predicate for appeal.

[Fai Mao]

I do not think a judge can merely vacate a verdict delivered by a jury.

Oberlin College is in big trouble over this. The fine may shut the place down.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

This will just up the punitive damages part.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

They have an $800,000,000 endowment.

This is just a blip.

[ryderann]

Sure hope the judge remembers that Oberlin didn’t cut the Gibson’s any slack. Turn-around is fair play.

[jjotto]

Depending on state law, the judge probably can vacate a verdict, especially in a civil case.

[Menehune56]

Where is this?

[Steamburg]

The judgement was for actual damages. The judge will have trouble with that since they still haven’t considered or even heard the punitive evidence. If the judge has grounds to set aside actual damages, he better be ready for some deep examination on appeal.
I think this was premature on Oberlin’s part. We will see.

[SecondAmendment]

The leftists own the Judiciary, they will find a way to throw out the verdict...

[jeannineinsd]

The trial is taking place in Lorain County, Ohio. This report is from a local Ohio newspaper.

[vette6387]

“The fine may shut the place down.”

Unfortunately, No! Oberlin had (in 2013) nearly $800 million in their endowment fund. They have deep pockets. The question isn’t whether they can survive having to pay out $33 million. I would like to see them have to cough it up though.

[Dr. Sivana]

Oberlin College is in big trouble over this. The fine may shut the place down.

Not a chance. They have an endowment of close to a billion dollars.

With an $887.4 million endowment last year, 186-year-old Oberlin is wealthier than most small private institutions, but far behind its wealthier peers -- colleges like Amherst, Swarthmore and Wellesley all reported endowments at or near $2 billion. For the past few years, Oberlin has drawn about 5 percent of its endowment for operating expenses, a standard distribution. Last year, that amounted to about $44.1 million.

[Atlantan]

Oberlin, Ohio

[monkeyshine]

I’m no lawyer but been involved in a few cases over the years. Maybe it varies by states but this question of breaking down the damages should have been objected to when they wrote the jury instructions.

[Still Thinking]

They appear to be at the Throw Shit at the Wall and See What Sticks phase of the lawsuit.