NORWALK -- Nearly three years after Connre Dixon was fatally stabbedby her foster father

Money awarded to Dixon estate cut
By HEATHER CHAPIN-FOWLER, Norwalk Bureau Chief
10/12/2007

http://www.morningjournal.com/site/n...= 46371&rfi=6


NORWALK -- Nearly three years after Connre Dixon was fatally stabbed by
her foster father, a judge ruled the money awarded by a jury to her
estate should be significantly reduced, because there was no evidence
she suffered as she bled to death in the Ridgefield Township barn.

Visiting Judge Judith Cross reduced the $600,000 award she be $100,000
and if the Connre's estate isn't satisfied with the reduction, a new
trial will be granted, according a judgment entry filed this week in
Huron County Common Pleas Court.

''I think we're quite pleased,'' said Joan Szuberla, the Toledo attorney
who represents Huron County officials who were named in the lawsuit.

A jury in March decided the estate should be awarded $600,000 in damages
because of the county's negligence in placing Connre with Paul Efaw.
Efaw fatally stabbed Connre during an altercation with her in his barn
on Oct. 18, 2004.

He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and is serving a three-year
prison sentence.

The Huron County Department of Job and Family Services and former county
commissioners Terry Boose and Ardeth Chupp and Commissioner Mike Adelman
were named as defendants. Efaw was initially named as a defendant, but
the estate later dismissed him from the civil action.

''The court finds that the award of damages is excessive and is against
the manifest weight of the evidence in that there was no evidence
presented that Connre Dixon was conscious from the time she was first
stabbed until she died,'' the judge wrote.

''While the coroner could and did testify that Connre may have lived
five or six minutes; she did not testify to any degree of medical
certainty that Connre was conscious and able to feel pain and
suffering,'' the judge wrote.

''Therefore, the award of damages for pain and suffering is not
justifiable under the law,'' she wrote.

The estate asked for $300,000 for the pain and suffering Connre
experienced and another $700,000 to compensate her family for the loss
of her life. The jury decided on $600,000 instead, with some jurors
after the trial saying they had difficulty with the idea of Connre's
family receiving the money.

Cross ruled that the ''jury lost its way'' while making the decision of
the compensatory damages.

As for loss of companionship, the judge felt there was little
companionship lost based on the evidence presented at the trial.

''Connre's grandfather, who was the only witness to testify on any of
the aspects of compensatory damages, did indicate a loss of
companionship and society, though it was limited,'' Cross wrote.

Dale Stover, Connre's grandfather, was ''very close'' with her and her
siblings until 1999 when he requested her parents leave his property
because of their drug use and ''after that he did not have close contact
with Connre,'' the judgment entry stated.

''While there is evidence that the grandfather did experience some
degree of mental anguish; the court finds the $300,000 amount awarded by
the jury to be excessive and not supported by the evidence,'' the
judgment entry stated.

Willard attorney Jim Martin, who represents the estate, didn't return
calls for comment.


©The Morning Journal 2007




CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA
WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....

CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.

every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com

Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS

*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*

Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5

Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that
are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per
100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse
and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the
citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold
parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY
government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and
death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more
human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which
they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that
they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when
children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a
bunch of social workers.


CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...


BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...

And how much money did they give the crazy lady who claimed she didn't know
that the coffee she placed between her legs from Mickey D's was hot?

Ignorant if you ask me.



"fx" wrote in message
...
Money awarded to Dixon estate cut
By HEATHER CHAPIN-FOWLER, Norwalk Bureau Chief
10/12/2007

http://www.morningjournal.com/site/n...= 46371&rfi=6


NORWALK -- Nearly three years after Connre Dixon was fatally stabbed by
her foster father, a judge ruled the money awarded by a jury to her estate
should be significantly reduced, because there was no evidence she
suffered as she bled to death in the Ridgefield Township barn.

Visiting Judge Judith Cross reduced the $600,000 award she be $100,000 and
if the Connre's estate isn't satisfied with the reduction, a new trial
will be granted, according a judgment entry filed this week in Huron
County Common Pleas Court.

''I think we're quite pleased,'' said Joan Szuberla, the Toledo attorney
who represents Huron County officials who were named in the lawsuit.

A jury in March decided the estate should be awarded $600,000 in damages
because of the county's negligence in placing Connre with Paul Efaw. Efaw
fatally stabbed Connre during an altercation with her in his barn on Oct.
18, 2004.

He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and is serving a three-year
prison sentence.

The Huron County Department of Job and Family Services and former county
commissioners Terry Boose and Ardeth Chupp and Commissioner Mike Adelman
were named as defendants. Efaw was initially named as a defendant, but the
estate later dismissed him from the civil action.

''The court finds that the award of damages is excessive and is against
the manifest weight of the evidence in that there was no evidence
presented that Connre Dixon was conscious from the time she was first
stabbed until she died,'' the judge wrote.

''While the coroner could and did testify that Connre may have lived five
or six minutes; she did not testify to any degree of medical certainty
that Connre was conscious and able to feel pain and suffering,'' the judge
wrote.

''Therefore, the award of damages for pain and suffering is not
justifiable under the law,'' she wrote.

The estate asked for $300,000 for the pain and suffering Connre
experienced and another $700,000 to compensate her family for the loss of
her life. The jury decided on $600,000 instead, with some jurors after the
trial saying they had difficulty with the idea of Connre's family
receiving the money.

Cross ruled that the ''jury lost its way'' while making the decision of
the compensatory damages.

As for loss of companionship, the judge felt there was little
companionship lost based on the evidence presented at the trial.

''Connre's grandfather, who was the only witness to testify on any of the
aspects of compensatory damages, did indicate a loss of companionship and
society, though it was limited,'' Cross wrote.

Dale Stover, Connre's grandfather, was ''very close'' with her and her
siblings until 1999 when he requested her parents leave his property
because of their drug use and ''after that he did not have close contact
with Connre,'' the judgment entry stated.

''While there is evidence that the grandfather did experience some degree
of mental anguish; the court finds the $300,000 amount awarded by the jury
to be excessive and not supported by the evidence,'' the judgment entry
stated.

Willard attorney Jim Martin, who represents the estate, didn't return
calls for comment.


©The Morning Journal 2007




CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A DAILY
BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA WIRETAPPING
PROGRAM....

CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.

every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com

Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS

*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*

Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5

Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that are
supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per 100,000
children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse and kills
more children then parents in the United States. If the citizens of this
country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold parents too. No
judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY government agency
because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and death than any human
being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more human rights violations
and deaths of children then the homes from which they were removed. When
are the judges going to wake up and see that they are sending children to
their death and a life of abuse when children are removed from safe homes
based on the mere opinion of a bunch of social workers.


CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...


BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF REFORMING
OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES TAKE A
STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY ARE
"FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...