Two heroes today in legal news.
A Coney Island businessman is suing the city for damaging the Bentley he was driving when he killed a Brooklyn dad in a hit-and-run accident.
Harry Shasho, who pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, says the NYPD failed to safeguard the battered black 2005 Bentley GT luxury sedan that was impounded as evidence of the fatal crash. He’s asking for at least $190,000. …
Shasho says the Bentley was in "excellent condition … with no noticeable defects or damage" when he turned himself in, according to the suit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
The police report tells a different story. It describes the car as crumpled and the windshield "depressed and fractured" by the violent impact with [victim Louis] Couch that left his body parts strewn across the street.
The suit seeks damages from the city, the NYPD and the Brooklyn district attorney’s office.
In the civil suit filed Friday (we’re still trying to get our hands on a copy) Blitzer accuses Ross [his father-in-law] of stealing $195,000 from him. The suit reportedly details Ross’s estranged relationship with his daughter, Allison Blitzer. When Blitzer was pregnant, Ross said that he hoped the child would die and that Blitzer’s gravestone should be carved with an obscenity, according to the suit.
Ross had success earlier in his business career for importing the Smurfs cartoon characters to the U.S. from Belgium, but had lost his money due to bad business decisions, according to a separate civil complaint filed by Blitzer. From there, the harassment continued with phone calls, emails and threats of derailing Blitzer’s career.
Last month, Ross enlisted the services of Jackson, the lawyer. Blitzer eventually put Jackson in touch with his lawyer. In an Aug. 5 phone conversation, Jackson said if Blitzer gave Ross $5.5 million, Ross would stop harassing him and promise not to communicate with his daughter and grandchildren. The next day, Jackson sent a letter to Blitzer’s lawyer doubling Ross’s demand — asking for $5.5 million to not communicate with Blitzer’s family and another $5.5 million for not contacting Blackstone [Blitzer’s employer].
I’m guessing "my Bentley was fine after I killed someone with it then sped off" probably comes off even worse to a jury than "I demanded $11 million to stop harassing my children and grandchildren."
Did you catch the hidden Hero #3 in there? The blackmailer’s lawyer was in on the whole thing. Now he’ll have time for a refresher on habeas corpus.