Re: Mercer, Billups, & Walker in Trouble?

[Kim Malo <kmalo19@idt.net>]

At 02:58 PM 5/28/98 -0400, "Jan Crocker" <jan@netgworld.com> wrote:

>Details are a bit sketchy as of this post but I just heard on a Boston
>radio station that a woman has filed a sealed civil complaint in Federal
>Court against Mercer, Billups and Walker. This is not good. Can any of you
>legal types explain to me why a civil complaint would be filed in Federal
>as opposed to Local and why it would be sealed?
>
You may have lready heard the answer yourself on WEEI, as I did:

Federal for one of two reasons. Violation of federal law, such as civil
rights or involving parties who are residents of different states or
countries (jurisdiction issue)

Sealed was less straightforward, but usually because of salicious details,
and/or to protect the complaintant if there are sexual issues involved.

And a question you didn't ask: Harry M, WEEI's lawyer on call noted that the
reason for a civil suit if there are criminal accusations involved,
especially of a sexual nature, may be because it's illegal to settleoutside
court for cash
once certain types of criminal charges have been crought, but not with a
civil suit.

Also, FWIW, there's a 4th man involved who is reportedly AW's best friend
dating back to Chicago days.

--Kim
Kim Malo
kmalo19@idt.net