$501,134,683.80. awarded from North Korea for the death of Otto Warmbier

Politics
1

https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2018cv0977-25

Link is to the Memorandum Opinion and Order of the Court.

The case name was Cynthia Warmbier, et al, v Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Chief United States District Judge Beryl A. Howell of the District of Columbia presided over the case.

This was a default judgement. North Korea did not respond or enter an appearance in this case.

Obviously, the plaintiffs will never actually collect a cent of this judgement from North Korea, so it is a symbolic victory only.

Break down of the judgement is pasted below.

(Note to mods: As a work of the federal government, the following quoted material is in the public domain. Attribution is given to Judge Howell.)

IV. CONCLUSION
For the reasons outlined above, the plaintiffs’ motion for default judgment is granted.
North Korea is liable for the torture, hostage taking, and extrajudicial killing of Otto Warmbier,
and the injuries to his mother and father, Fred and Cindy Warmbier. The plaintiffs are awarded
monetary damages in the following amounts: Otto Warmbier’s estate is entitled to $6,038,308 in
economic losses, $96,375.80 in medical expenses, $15,000,000 in pain and suffering, and
$150,000,000 in punitive damages. Fred and Cindy Warmbier are each entitled to $15,000,000
in solatium damages and a total of $300,000,000 in punitive damages. Thus, the total damage
award is $501,134,683.80.

2

I’m trying to understand the point of this.

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North Korea is the worst Korea.

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*only Korea

5

Are you saying that North Korea is the only Korea?

Maybe you’re just being flippant, but I’m pretty sure I lived in a different Korea for a chunk of my life.

6

That is occupied territory.

7

Good luck collecting that. I saw some footage again tonight of Otto crying in court as he was lead away and it was all the more sad now knowing how he ultimately ended up. Another thing I’ve wondered is how the parents of Otto felt about the burgeoning bromance between Trump and Kim Jong Un. There was there that point where Trump said Kim had a rough time as a leader and that it’s understandable he has to clamp down and break skulls to keep things together there.

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I’m sure Trump can get his bud to pay up pronto. “And then we fell in love, OK? No, really — he wrote me beautiful letters, and they’re great letters,” Mr Trump continued.

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A new episode of The Love Boat? Love Boat 2019?

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Actually, they could collect a relatively small portion of that judgement.

There are $63 Million in North Korean assets frozen in the United States. However, under U.S. statute, only compensatory damages are eligible to be collected against such frozen assets.

Otto Warmbier’s estate is entitled to $6,038,308 in economic losses, $96,375.80 in medical expenses…

They will probably get the $96,375.80 in medical expenses. However, it is highly likely that the court that handles the post judgement proceedings will reduce that $6,038,308 in economic losses considerably and will disallow the rest of the judgement, when proceeding against the frozen assets.

If they are fortunate, they might get $1 million, might be less than that. Federal law is rather strict about these sort of things.

11

I heard that Fat Donald is going to get Mexico to pay the judgement for North Korea!

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Do you believe the US government should pursue collection of this judgment from the North Korean government?

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I heard obama was gonna get everyone to pay their fair share.

14

You heard wrong. :hugs:

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As a judgement obtained by a private party, the United States should not involve itself. It is up to the plaintiffs to attempt to collect the judgement.

2 Likes
16

That makes logical sense. Thank you for your insight here.

17

Way to go, Huck!!