Burton against Drake and Sweeney.-

We were in Judge De Orios room, but this was not a court. There were two lawyers from RiverOaks, From Drake and S there was Arthur Jacobs, Rafter, Nathan Malamud and Barry Nuzzo.






Why Malamud and Nuzzo who were not going to speak for Drake and S? Then I understood Malamud and Nuzzo had gone back to work after that Tuesday with Mister. They were fine, so why was not I?







Judge De Orio said good morning and then gave Morcadei five minutes to make the complaint against Drake and S in the Burton lawsuit. Morcadei needed just two minutes. He explained clearly how Drake ad S ilegal eviction led to the deaths of Lontae Burton and her children.






Arthur Jacobs spoke for Drake and S. He did not disagree with Morcadei about what had happened to Lontae and her children. But he said it was, in part, her own fault.





-There were places for her to go, Arthur said.






-There were shelters open. Why did she leave? Her grandmother has an apartment in Northeast. Why did not this mother do more to protect her Little family'?





-Why was she in the Street at all ? De Orio asked and I almost smiled.



Arthur stayed calm...-The eviction was wrong, he said...We are not arguing with Mr Green about that. We are saying that events after the eviction were partly the mothers fault.





-How much of it was her fault? asked Judge De Orio.


-At least half.





-That is too high.



-we dont agree, Judge De Orio.



-Mr Green ?



Morcadei stood , shaking his head  in disbelief, like Arthur was a first year law student.






-These peole have nowhere to live, Mr Jacobs. That is why they are called homeless. You put this family on the Street. You have told us you did. And that where they died.






We could go to court. Would you say the same thing there?







Stand up in court. Would you say the same thing there?




Stand up in court, Mr Jacobs!Say It was the mother s fault her family died.









Arthur and the rest of The Drake and S lawyers looked scared enough at the idea of telling a court full of black people that the Burton familys death was, in part, Lontae s fault.




Drake and S are guilty of an ilegal eviction, said Judge De Orio. That is clear. I would not advise you to blame the mother in a court.



Morcadei and Arthur sat Down. We had won the Burton Lawsuit without going to court. Now we would discuss how much Drake and S should pay. Rafter stood up, He talked about how much money you usually got for dead children in lawsuit,