$36M Granted to 2018 Marshall County Shooting Victims

$36M Granted to 2018 Marshall County Shooting Victims

Introduction

In a recent ruling by a Western Kentucky circuit court judge awarded over $36 million in damages to the victims of the tragic 2018 Marshall County High School shooting. The lawsuit, initiated in 2019 by several parties including the family of one of the two students killed, sought compensation from the shooter and his parents. Although the former superintendent of Marshall County Public Schools was initially a defendant, he was later exempted due to qualified immunity. The judgment, documented on December 8, includes punitive damages as well as compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages. The victims' lawyer, however, expressed skepticism about the likelihood of collecting these damages. The shooter, who was 15 at the time of the crime and sentenced to life in prison in 2020, has limited financial resources, as do his parents. The primary intent of the lawsuit, according to the attorney, was to prevent the shooter or his family from profiting from the tragedy in the future through means such as book deals or media interviews. The legal action aimed to shield the families from further emotional harm caused by any potential financial gain by the shooter's family. Nonetheless, the attorney acknowledged that no amount of financial compensation could truly make up for the loss suffered by the victims. She remarked that even a billion-dollar award would fall short of adequately compensating them for their profound losses.