Chiquita jury verdict in Colombia paramilitary killings case awards millions
What historical significance does this case hold according to Jack Scarola, the lead plaintiffs' attorney?
According to Jack Scarola, the lead plaintiffs' attorney, this case holds historical significance because it is the first time that a major American corporation has been held responsible for injuries inflicted upon foreign nationals in an American court of law2.
What specific actions did the federal jury in Florida find Chiquita liable for in relation to the paramilitary killings in Colombia?
The federal jury in Florida found Chiquita Brands liable for the killings between 1997 and 2004 by the Colombian right-wing paramilitary group, the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC). The company was accused of giving millions of dollars to the AUC, even after the U.S. government designated the group as a foreign terrorist organization. The jury awarded the families of eight men killed in Colombia a total of $38.3 million in damages. The verdict came after years of litigation, during which Chiquita argued that it paid the AUC under duress to protect its banana-growing operations in areas caught up in Colombia's civil war. However, the jury decided that Chiquita "knowingly provided substantial assistance to the AUC" in amounts that would create risks of harm to others, rejecting the company's claim that it had no choice but to pay the AUC.
How much has Chiquita been ordered to pay in damages to the families of the victims, and what period do these killings cover?
Chiquita Brands International has been ordered to pay $38.3 million in damages to the families of eight men killed in Colombia between 1997 and 2004 by the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), a right-wing paramilitary group that the company gave millions of dollars to, even after the U.S. government designated the group as a foreign terrorist organization.