Monthly Archives: February 2014

Tragedy In Paradise

Deadly coast

Imagine being on a beautiful vacation in Hawaii and come to find there was a tragic accident in this beautiful oasis. For the Madoff family that is exactly what happened. Tyler Madoff, a 15-year-old boy was swept out to sea during a Hawaii hiking and kayaking tour. A wrongful death lawsuit was filed and has finally been settled. Terms of the settlement reached with Bold Earth Teen Adventures and Hawaii Pack and Paddle were sealed. Continue reading

Virginia Gender Discrimination In Law Enforcement Worth Millions

Standing up for women’s rights

Law enforcement agencies are a male-dominated profession with a small number of women being sworn into duty. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics study conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2010, only about 15% of sworn law enforcement officers are women at all levels. On February 10, 2014, Virginia Beach law enforcement officer, Nicole Kosmas, filed a lawsuit against the city of Virginia Beach and its police department for millions of dollars, according to the Huffington Post. Ms Kosmas is 39 years old and filed the complaint in the United States District Court of Norfolk. She claims that she was harassed and retaliated against since 2008.

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Rap Superstar Sued for 30 Million Dollars

Musical feud

Wig designer Terrence Davidson is suing Hip Hop star Nicki Minaj for 30 million dollars. “Terrence Davidson filed suit Friday in district court in Atlanta alleging that the star not only stole his wig designs, but also cost him a potential reality show deal that he was discouraged from pursuing”. Davidson began working for Minaj in 2010 as her Hair stylist, and also began designing wigs for her to wear in her performances. The rapper has since become increasingly famous and known for her eccentric style, such as her pink and platinum blonde wigs. Davidson discovered that the superstar is now selling wigs for profit on her website, which are essentially duplicates from the various looks he initially created for her. Read More

“The Wolf of Wall Street” Sued For Defamation

Another “Wall Street” blunder.

The movie “The Wolf of Wall Street” is under heavy fire for their portrayal of Nicky “Rugrat” Koskoff. According to the Huffington Post, Andrew Greene, a man who is a lawyer and an investment banker, is asking for more than $25 million in damages and for the film to be removed from theaters. Mr. Greene filed a complaint on 02/18/2014 in the United States District Court in the Eastern District of New York against the filmmakers and Paramount Pictures. Mr. Greene is claiming the character Nicky “Rugrat” Koskoff, played by PJ Byrne, is modeled after himself, but inaccurately of course. Greene states he never gave the filmmakers permission to use his likeness, who at the time, is the head of corporate finance.

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Battle Lines Drawn Over World War II Statue

Healing old wounds

Residents of Southern California have filed a lawsuit against the city of Glendale over a controversial World War II statue. The $30,000 “Comfort Women” memorial is in honor of those Chinese and Korean women who were allegedly forced into prostitution by Imperial Japan in the 1930’s and 1940’s. The plaintiffs claim that the city is violating the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution, which is also referred to as “the law of the land”. Supporters of the statue are active in spreading word about the comfort women issue, while the Japanese government has never officially apologized on the record. While no dollar amount has been mentioned, many believe the plaintiffs are strictly interested in removing the statue altogether. Read more