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Virginia Tech Verdict

March 15, 2012 by · Comments Off on Virginia Tech Verdict 

Virginia Tech Verdict, The state is giving strong signals that it will appeal a jury’s decision that Virginia Tech officials were negligent in their actions leading up to the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

The verdict in the wrongful death lawsuit is the latest of three decisions that have faulted the university for its actions on April 16, 2007, when it hesitated at letting students know of a gunman on campus who ultimately fatally shot 32 people before killing himself.

Jurors sided with the parents of two students slain in the massacre – Julia Pryde and Erin Peterson – that officials should have known the campus was at risk without a gunman in custody. The parents said the botched response led to the deaths of their daughters.

Virginia Tech spokesman Mark Owczarski said after the verdict that the school would review the case with the attorney general’s office before deciding on any further options.

“We are disappointed with today’s decision and stand by our long-held position that the administration and law enforcement at Virginia Tech did their absolute best with the information available on April 16, 2007,” Owczarski said in a statement.

Likewise, the attorney general’s office said it was discussing “our options” with the Virginia Tech administration on an appeal.

Officials stuck with their argument that President Charles Steger and other university officials relied on the best information they had that morning involving the rampage by student gunman Seung-Hui Cho.

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