"Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound". I can still hear the announcer's voice, as a I settled in front of the TV to watch Superman. Some amazing adventure was about to begin, as Superman was going to punish wrong and make it right.
On this day in 1959, George Reeves, the actor who played in the Superman series, was found shot in his bedroom. At the time, it was reported as a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Since then, there have been conspiracy theories that sometimes rival the conspiracies of gunmen, on the grassy knoll, in the Kennedy assassination. Notwithstanding, on that day, it was proof that there is no Superman.
The premise behind most superheroes is that they are seeking the truth, to make things right. Martian Manhunter is saddened by the loss of all those on Mars, so he comes to earth to make sure that society on earth, does not make the mistakes that his society did on Mars. He disguises himself as a detective, who solves crimes, that no one else can solve.
A famous underwater explorer saved the life of a water breathing outcast, from Atlantis. They fell in love and and had a son named Aquaman. He had powers that allowed him to survive above and below the water. He was even one of the founding members of the Justice League of America. Again, he was a Superhero, who was fixing wrongs.
Sometimes, it seems that it will take a superhero, to fix what wrongdoers have done. It seems to me, that defense lawyers become so hardened to humanity, on occasion, that they begin to think that everyone who is hurt, is either making up their injuries or exaggerating them. Rarely ever, do I hear a lawyer or insurance adjuster actually admit to me that, "your client is really hurt and I know that we are responsible".
A case that the Firm resolved last week, involved a woman who was injured at a city jail. The case was coming to trial in a couple of weeks and to date, only a small offer of settlement had been made. Certainly, not one that represented an acceptance of wrongdoing. The Judge requested (I use that term loosely because it seemed like an order) that the case be mediated in a last attempt to settle the claim, before trial.
The defense lawyer brought two deputies to the mediation. He then went on to say that he brought them so that they could speak with the client to tell her how they wished that the events had not happened. It wasn't that they were there to say that they were sorry. Not surprisingly, the client had no interest in speaking to them. The defense lawyer, in mock shock, expressed that he could not believe that the client did not want to talk to them, to give her closure. He went on to say, "You don't know how hard it was to get these two deputies to come here today". Apparently, he didn't understand that such a statement would even be more offensive.
I started watching Superman after the events of his 1959 shooting. I knew nothing of the actor. I just was fascinated by Superman and what he could do. I remember my Grandmother even making capes for me, so I could run around the house, in an attempt to mimic Superman. Unfortunately, I couldn't dodge bullets or see through walls with Xray vision.
In my business, sometimes a Virginia jury of 7 or a South Carolina jury of 12 are the only ones that can make it right. When they are seated to hear the case, they become like the Justice League of America. I guess that's why Big Business is trying to close the doors of the Courtroom, to the less fortunate. Let's hope that Lobbyists like the Chamber of Commerce will never be able to get jury Kryptonite.
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