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Palestinian groups liable for terrorists’ acts, plaintiffs claimed

Amount:

$218,500,000

Type:

Verdict-Plaintiff

State:

New York

Venue:

Federal

Court:

U.S. District Court, Southern District

Case Type:

Intentional Torts – Assault and Battery

Case Name:

Mark I. Sokolow et al v. The Palestine Liberation Organization, The Palestinian Authority (a/k/a "The Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority" and/or "The Palestinian Council" and/or "The Palestinian National Authority"), Yasser Arafat, Marwan Bin Khatib Barghouti, Ahmed Taleb Mustapha Barghouti (a/k/a "Al-Faransi"), Nasser Mahmoud Ahmed Aweis, Majid Al-Masri (a/k/a "Abu Mojahed"), Mahmoud Al-Titi, Mohammed Abdel Rahman Salam Masalah (a/k/a "Abu Satkhah"), Faras Sadak Mohammed Ghanem (a/k/a "Hitawi"), Mohammed Sami Ibrahim Abdullah, Estate of Said Ramadan, deceased, Abdel Karim Ratab Yunis Aweis, Nasser Jamal Mousa Shawish, Toufik Tirawi, Hussein Al-Shaykh, Sana’a Muhammed Shehadeh, Kaira Said Ali Sadi, Estate of Mohammed Hashaika, deceased, Munzar Mahmoud Khalil Noor, Estate of Wafa Idris, deceased, Estate of Mazan Faritach, deceased, Estate of Muhanad Abu Halawa, deceased and John Does 1-99,
No. 1:04-cv-00397-GBD-RLE

Date:

February 23, 2015

Parties

Plaintiff(s):

Eva Waldman , 

Alan J Bauer , 

Daniel Bauer , 

Jessica Rine , 

Varda Guetta , 

Yehuda Bauer , 

Revital Bauer , 

Binyamin Bauer , 

Morris Waldman , 

Shmuel Waldman , 

Mark I. Sokolow , 

Rena M. Sokolow , 

Elana R. Sokolow , 

Jamie A. Sokolow , 

Nurit Mandelkorn , 

Oz Joseph Guetta , 

Shaul Mandelkorn , 

Yehonathon Bauer , 

Elise Janet Gould , 

Lauren M. Sokolow , 

Leonard Mandelkorn , 

Ronald Allan Gould , 

Shayna Eileen Gould , 

Henna Novack Waldman

Plaintiff Attorney(s):

Rachel May Weiser;
of counsel, Milano Pasch Medici Attorneys & Counselors at Law;
Rocky River,
OH,
for
Eva Waldman, Alan J Bauer, Daniel Bauer, Jessica Rine, Varda Guetta, Yehuda Bauer, Revital Bauer, Binyamin Bauer, Morris Waldman, Shmuel Waldman, Mark I. Sokolow, Rena M. Sokolow, Elana R. Sokolow, Jamie A. Sokolow, Nurit Mandelkorn, Oz Joseph Guetta, Shaul Mandelkorn, Yehonathon Bauer, Elise Janet Gould, Lauren M. Sokolow, Leonard Mandelkorn, Ronald Allan Gould, Shayna Eileen Gould, Henna Novack Waldman ■ Kent A. Yalowitz;
Arnold & Porter LLP;
New York,
NY,
for
Eva Waldman, Alan J Bauer, Daniel Bauer, Jessica Rine, Varda Guetta, Yehuda Bauer, Revital Bauer, Binyamin Bauer, Morris Waldman, Shmuel Waldman, Mark I. Sokolow, Rena M. Sokolow, Elana R. Sokolow, Jamie A. Sokolow, Nurit Mandelkorn, Oz Joseph Guetta, Shaul Mandelkorn, Yehonathon Bauer, Elise Janet Gould, Lauren M. Sokolow, Leonard Mandelkorn, Ronald Allan Gould, Shayna Eileen Gould, Henna Novack Waldman

Defendant(s):

Toufik Tirawi, 

Yasser Arafat, 

Majid Al-Masri, 

Mahmoud Al-Titi, 

Hussein Al-Shaykh, 

Kaira Said Ali Sadi, 

Estate of Wafa Idris, 

Palestinian Authority, 

Estate of Said Ramadan, 

Estate of Mazan Faritach, 

Sana’a Muhammed Shehadeh, 

Munzar Mahmoud Khalil Noor, 

Nasser Jamal Mousa Shawish, 

Nasser Mahmoud Ahmed Aweis, 

Estate of Mohammed Hashaika, 

Faras Sadak Mohammed Ghanem, 

Marwan Bin Khatib Barghouti, 

Estate of Muhanad Abu Halawa, 

Abdel Karim Ratab Yunis Aweis, 

Ahmed Taleb Mustapha Barghouti, 

Mohammed Sami Ibrahim Abdullah, 

Palestine Liberation Organization, 

Mohammed Abdel Rahman Salam Masalah

Defense Attorney(s):

Brian A. Hill;
Miller & Chevalier Chartered;
Washington,
DC,
for
Toufik Tirawi, Yasser Arafat, Majid Al-Masri, Mahmoud Al-Titi, Hussein Al-Shaykh, Kaira Said Ali Sadi, Estate of Wafa Idris, Palestinian Authority, Estate of Said Ramadan, Estate of Mazan Faritach, Sana’a Muhammed Shehadeh, Munzar Mahmoud Khalil Noor, Nasser Jamal Mousa Shawish, Nasser Mahmoud Ahmed Aweis, Estate of Mohammed Hashaika, Faras Sadak Mohammed Ghanem, Marwan Bin Khatib Barghouti, Estate of Muhanad Abu Halawa, Abdel Karim Ratab Yunis Aweis, Ahmed Taleb Mustapha Barghouti, Mohammed Sami Ibrahim Abdullah, Palestine Liberation Organization, Mohammed Abdel Rahman Salam Masalah ■ Laura G. Ferguson;
Miller & Chevalier Chartered;
Washington,
DC,
for
Toufik Tirawi, Yasser Arafat, Majid Al-Masri, Mahmoud Al-Titi, Hussein Al-Shaykh, Kaira Said Ali Sadi, Estate of Wafa Idris, Palestinian Authority, Estate of Said Ramadan, Estate of Mazan Faritach, Sana’a Muhammed Shehadeh, Munzar Mahmoud Khalil Noor, Nasser Jamal Mousa Shawish, Nasser Mahmoud Ahmed Aweis, Estate of Mohammed Hashaika, Faras Sadak Mohammed Ghanem, Marwan Bin Khatib Barghouti, Estate of Muhanad Abu Halawa, Abdel Karim Ratab Yunis Aweis, Ahmed Taleb Mustapha Barghouti, Mohammed Sami Ibrahim Abdullah, Palestine Liberation Organization, Mohammed Abdel Rahman Salam Masalah ■ Mark Rochon;
Miller & Chevalier Chartered;
Washington,
DC,
for
Toufik Tirawi, Yasser Arafat, Majid Al-Masri, Mahmoud Al-Titi, Hussein Al-Shaykh, Kaira Said Ali Sadi, Estate of Wafa Idris, Palestinian Authority, Estate of Said Ramadan, Estate of Mazan Faritach, Sana’a Muhammed Shehadeh, Munzar Mahmoud Khalil Noor, Nasser Jamal Mousa Shawish, Nasser Mahmoud Ahmed Aweis, Estate of Mohammed Hashaika, Faras Sadak Mohammed Ghanem, Marwan Bin Khatib Barghouti, Estate of Muhanad Abu Halawa, Abdel Karim Ratab Yunis Aweis, Ahmed Taleb Mustapha Barghouti, Mohammed Sami Ibrahim Abdullah, Palestine Liberation Organization, Mohammed Abdel Rahman Salam Masalah

Facts:

On Jan. 8, 2001, plaintiff Varda Guetta was driving in Givon Junction, near Jerusalem. Her son, plaintiff Joseph Guetta, was a passenger. Joseph was struck and injured by a gunshot that was fired by a terrorist. On Jan. 22, 2002, plaintiff Shayna Gould and plaintiff Shmuel Waldman were walking near the intersection of Jaffa Street and Rav Kook Street, in Jerusalem. They were struck and injured by gunshots that were fired by terrorists. On Jan. 27, 2002, plaintiff Jamie Sokolow, plaintiff Lauren Sokolow, plaintiff Mark Sokolow and plaintiff Rena Sokolow were walking on Jaffa Street. A terrorist detonated a bomb, and the Sokolows sustained injuries. On March 21, 2002, plaintiff Alan Bauer and plaintiff Yehonathon Bauer were walking on King George Street, in Jerusalem. A terrorist detonated a bomb, and the Bauers sustained injuries. On June 19, 2002, plaintiff Shaul Mandelkorn was walking in the French Hill section of Jerusalem. A terrorist detonated a bomb, and Mandelkorn sustained an injury. The plaintiffs claimed that the terrorists’ actions were aided and abetted by two organizations: the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization. Alan Bauer, Yehonathon Bauer, Gould, Varda Guetta, who was acting individually and as Joseph Guetta’s parent and natural guardian, Mandelkorn, Jamie Sokolow, Lauren Sokolow, Mark Sokolow, Rena Sokolow and Waldman sued the Palestinian Authority, the Palestine Liberation Organization, several individuals who were believed to have supported one or both groups, and several individuals who were believed to have perpetrated the attacks that injured one or more of the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs alleged that the bombings and shootings were acts of terrorism, that the acts violated 18 U.S.C. § 2331, which defines acts of terrorism, and that the acts constituted assault and battery. Plaintiffs’ counsel discontinued the claims against most of the defendants. The matter proceeded to a trial against the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization. Plaintiffs’ counsel contended that the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization authorized and/or ordered the attacks that injured the plaintiffs. Defense counsel contended that the attacks’ perpetrators were not connected to the Palestinian Authority or the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Injury:

Alan Bauer, Yehonathon Bauer, Gould, Joseph Guetta, Jamie Sokolow, Lauren Sokolow, Mark Sokolow, Rena Sokolow and Waldman sustained physical injuries. They claimed that they also suffered residual anguish and distress. They sought recovery of damages for pain and suffering. Relatives presented derivative claims. The plaintiffs sought a total of $500 million.

Result:

The jury found that the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization knowingly supported the bombings and shootings that injured the plaintiffs. Thus, it determined that those organizations were liable for the plaintiffs’ injuries. The jury further found that the plaintiffs’ damages totaled $218.5 million. Those damages were automatically trebled via application of 18 U.S.C. § 2333. Thus, the plaintiffs recovered a total of $655.5 million.

Actual Award:

$655,500,000

Trial Information:

Judge:

George B. Daniels

Trial Length:

7
 weeks

Jury Vote:

8-0

Editor’s Comment:

This report is based on information that was provided by plaintiffs’ counsel. Defense counsel declined to contribute.