Jurors to return Thursday in civil trial of carjacking victim against Jensen Beach McDonald’s
September 9th, 2009 by Daphne DuretSTUART — A Martin County jury is expected to continue deliberating on Thursday whether poor security at a Jensen Beach McDonald’s contributed to the carjacking and nearly fatal shooting that left a Port St. Lucie grandfather severely injured.
John Mario in January 2006 was on dinner break eating in the McDonald’s parking lot on U.S. 1 near the Treasure Coast Square Mall when two teens carjacked him at gunpoint. One of the teens, Quentin Bradley, eventually shot Mario in the head, leaving him with debilitating injuries.
Mario and his wife, Grace, eventually sued the fast-food chain, and the case has been the subject of a civil trial in Martin County since last week.
Though defense experts testified there was a relatively low level of crime at the restaurant, the couple’s attorneys said crimes at other fast-food restaurants and the nearby Treasure Coast Square Mall should have put store officials on high alert.
In closing arguments today, the Marios’ attorneys Christopher Marlowe and Jeanette Lewis asked jurors to award the Marios more than $4 million in damages.
McDonald’s attorney Joseph Bottiglieri called Mario’s shooting unfair, senseless and unpredictable, but said McDonald’s wasn’t to blame.
“It’s a carjacking that happened at a McDonald’s not because of McDonald’s,” he said. “This could have happened at any other establishment along U.S. 1.”
Bottiglieri highlighted the prior criminal records of Bradley and his accomplice Tyrone Wyche, but the Marios’ attorney Christopher Marlowe said the pair would not have committed the carjacking had security cameras been placed prominently outside the restaurant.
“There’s a reason that they’re not on the verdict form,” Marlowe told jurors of Bradley and Wyche. “It’s because this case is not about them.”
Bradley is currently serving life in prison and Wyche seven years on charges connected to the case. Senior Circuit Judge Marc Cianca sent jurors home just after 5 p.m. today. They are expected to continue deliberations Thursday morning.
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September 9th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I feel sorry for the man and his grime future, but these frivolous law suits are what is drive up our insurance rates. People will sue for anything, hoping big corporations will pay out monies just to make law suits go away. I’m glad McDonalds took this one to a jury. Again, I feel sorry for the man, but McDonalds doesn’t owe him anything. If this is poor security, then next they will sue for a carjacking on a major thorough fair because there wasn’t a cop on every corner.
Give me a break.
September 9th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
How the blazes is McDonald’s resposable for this one ?? I don’t like the place, I don’t eat there but I sure would not have any expectations of great security if I did. People please don’t be stupid !!!