Families of victims settle suit - Shootings at Virginia Tech

Families of victims settle suit

Wednesday, Jun 18, 2008 - 12:09 AM Updated: 02:32 AM

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Special Report

The shootings at Virginia Tech
Multimedia and ongoing coverage

Related

Virginia Tech e-mails about massacre released
Some officials locked down while others urged caution on campus

PDFs and videos from Tuesday's news conference
Provided by the Virginia Attorney General's Office

PDF Full motion to approve the settlemen
PDF Document cach family signed
VIDEO Chief Deputy Attorney General William C. Mims' full statement
VIDEO An attorney for victims' families speak about the settlement
VIDEO Attorney's statement on a Tech official's e-mails about the lockdown
VIDEO An attorney talks about two versions of the dormitory shootings
VIDEO An attorney talks about the campus alert
VIDEO Joe Samaha's statement

By DAVID RESS

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Mark White had a photo of his daughter Nicole on his lap when the lawyer lifted his manila folder and spoke the family's name. His hand tightened on wife Tricia's.

Her hand went to her eyes, trying to staunch silent tears.

The Whites were among the 24 families that signed settlements with the state over the loss of daughters and sons, husbands and wives, in the massacre at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. Nicole was 20 when she died.

Most kept their faces fixed. Those who cried did it silently.

All, in all, 28 of the 32 victims' families will settle under the comprehensive agreement Circuit Judge Theodore W. Markow approved yesterday. Two families have not filed claims against the state and two claims are still pending.

Under the settlement, the state will:

pay $100,000 to the family of each of the deceased;

pay people injured by Seung-Hui Cho sums of up to $100,000, depending on the severity of their injuries;

provide lifetime health insurance for those injured and administer a fund to pay families for medical and mental-health treatment for problems caused by the shooting;

set up a $1.9 million hardship fund to cover other damages suffered by victims or their families, to be divided by a retired judge;

set up a $1.75 million charitable trust that will focus on campus safety and security, among other missions.

When their names were called, Susan and Peter Turner came forward and explained how they wanted the settlement funds to benefit the younger brother of their dead daughter, Maxine.

"I am so sorry that you have to be here," Markow said.

"So are we," Peter Turner replied, placing his arm gently on his wife's shoulder.
Contact David Ress at (804) 649-6051 or dress@timesdispatch.com

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