spoonyd Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 True story - No Shit'Loss of Human Dignity' Canadian man sues his crack dealers for damages Tuesday, January 16, 2001 By Michael Y. Park NEW YORK — In a legal move that turns the idea of the Better Business Bureau on its head, a British Columbian crack addict is suing his drug dealers for nearly $1 million Canadian. Why? Because they sold him crack. In a suit filed Dec. 22, Jay Donald Martin, 30, of Malakwa, B.C., is claiming his dealers of 11 years should have prevented him from becoming dependent on crack cocaine, and that by selling him the drug, they violated the "duty of care" they owed him. And the fact that Dennis and Lois Dober were, well, crack dealers? All the more evidence they knew Martin might become addicted. "The defendants knew their activities were illegal and that very serious harm could come from their selling of cocaine to the plaintiff," Martin wrote in his statement of claim, filed in superior court in Nelson, B.C. "The defendants knew that the plaintiff ... was addicted to crack cocaine and could not exercise free will in regard to his cocaine-consumption choices." According to Martin's claim, he was introduced to crack at age 19 by Dennis Dober, who also demonstrated how to make the highly addictive drug out of powder cocaine. Martin became addicted to crack, giving essentially all his money to the Dobers for the drug, losing sleep, letting his health deteriorate, suffering emotionally and generally letting crack rule his life in what amounted to "enslavement," the claim continues. Martin couldn't support his partner, Shelley Tessier, or their children, keep a car or maintain custody of his son by a previous marriage and, among the others things he lost to crack, he includes: "loss of his human dignity, his individuality and his spirit." Martin says he is still addicted to crack cocaine but can keep his urges under "reasonable control." Tessier, 25, Martin's partner of six years, is also named as a plaintiff and, according to the claim, saw "her and her children's lives reduced to misery, despair and hopelessness." Several calls to the Dober home in Sicamous, B.C., were met with busy signals. The Dobers were arrested in April 1998 by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who charged the couple with cocaine trafficking. But the RCMP revealed in July 2000 the two were set free and even paid over $440,000 in a deal in which the Dobers gave authorities information about a suspected marijuana grower. Kieran Bridge, a spokesman on civil litigation for the B.C. branch of the Canadian Bar Association, told The Canadian Press it was a unique case that had its roots in tobacco litigation. Cigarette manufacturers sold tobacco products knowing their goods were not only addictive but dangerous, Bridge said. But: "Crack goes one step further. Everybody knows crack is going to badly injure you and be highly addictive." "If people are suing cigarette manufacturers, why not sue drug pushers?" he asked. Nevertheless, he remained highly skeptical of Martin's chances of a victory in court. "It's pretty hard for any adult to say, 'I didn't realize crack was dangerous or addictive,'" he said. Martin is asking $950,000 Canadian; $500,000 of it in punitive damages. ------------------Voted one of the top 3 dj's - Clubplanet Awards 2001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
back2basics- Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 LOL, what is the world coming to?Nobody can be held responsible for there own actions anymore. ------------------I want to go out blazing..not fade away.I can STILL resist ANYTHING but temptation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djstripe Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 If a person can win a million dollar lawsuit from McDonalds for burning themself with cofee that they "did realize" was "hot" I guess this lawsuit makes sence in our society too.------------------"They know what is what, but they don't know what is what ... They just strut. What the fuck?" -FBSReliving all phases of an "Out of Body Experience" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bungee Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 Reminiscence (spelled rigth?) of the fucking lady that burned her hand from coffee she claims Mac Donalds made too hot, so said her lawsuit. ------------------Sticks and Stones may break my bones..but..words..can't..hurt..meeeee...so there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morpheus_ Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 hell i'm gonna start smoking crack just so i can sue my dealer and get rich some motherfuckers would sell their mothers for a buck.. and they're not even on crack.. so it doesn't surprise me that anyone would go through the motions on their dealer..the dealer should pay him in crack. fuck'em, that's what i say. give him more crack til he OD's.morph_ ------------------This is my churchThis is where i heal my hurtsIt's in natural grace Or watching young lives shape It's in minor keys Solutions and remedies Enemies becoming friends When bitterness ends This is my church Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paranoidandroid Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 so sad. has anyone seen requiem for a dream? highly recommended although so grim at the end you may want to shut your eyes and pretend it's not happening.------------------* i love sex always and forever *and they tell me that women grow on treesand if you catch them right they will land upon their knees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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