Re: Outcomes of Grosjean-Russo vs Caesars-Griffin
Hey guys,
Here are some good readings for you all (See quoted article & messages down below). The long arms of justices finally have caught up to the bad guys. I'm really happy about the outcome of the case...Both Caesars & Griffin were found guilty as hell. However, Caesars & Griffin were not mortally wounded financially. It's too bad that Griffin was NOT out of business because of this case. The punitive damages against Griffin were peanuts...2 or 3 gray chips per victim...that's sh*tty! I wonder how much Caesars coughed up (It settled & paid the victims secretly)? Can some insider please spill the beans for us?
Gambling News
Jury Deals Gamblers Winning Hand
Jun 19, 2005
Two advantage gamblers whose rights were violated in an incident five years ago at Caesars Palace on Friday won punitive damages from a detective agency that supplies information to casinos. A District Court jury ordered Griffin Investigations to pay Michael Russo $15,000 and James Grosjean $10,000 in punitive damages.
Advantage gamblers increase their chances of winning by legally taking advantage of a dealer's or a casino's mistakes or by means such as card counting.
Griffin Investigations supplies lists of suspected advantage players and cheats to casinos.
Last week, the jury decided that Caesars Palace had falsely imprisoned, defamed and battered the two men and that Griffin Investigations was guilty of libel and maliciousness.
It ordered each company to pay Russo and Grosjean actual damages of $25,000 apiece and found that Griffin Investigations and Caesars Palace should be subject to punitive damages. Judge Lee Gates, who heard the case, ordered Friday's hearing to decide on punitive damages.
Sources familiar with gaming law said this is probably the first case in which Griffin has failed to win on technical arguments.
The case's conclusion was also unusual for advantage gambling lawsuits, which are normally dismissed or settled out of court and for much less, usually from $15,000 to $20,000, according to several local attorneys.
On Thursday, Caesars Palace settled its punitive liabilities from the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.
David Strow, spokesman for Harrah's Entertainment, which acquired Caesars Palace this week as part of its $9 billion merger with Caesars Entertainment, declined comment.
"The jury in this case clearly told Griffin Investigations it no longer can include the universe of advantage gamblers and just say individuals are suspected of cheating or using a device and ascribe a felony (as they did in this case)," said Bob Nersesian, a Las Vegas attorney who represents Russo and Grosjean.
The judgments vindicated his clients and showed that people in Nevada believe casinos should treat all patrons, even winners, with proper respect under the law, he said.
The complaint in this case originated from an April 2000 incident when Russo and Grosjean were playing Three Card Poker at Caesars.
Grosjean, a doctoral candidate in economics at the University of Chicago and author of "Beyond Counting," a "how-to" manual on beating the gambling odds, was winning the game thanks to a "sloppy" dealer and his own "hole carding," where a player tries to catch a glimpse of a dealer's face-down card, he said.
Caesars Palace pit workers, based in part on an entry about Russo in Griffin Investigations' book of known cheats, detained the two men and accused them of card bending.
Griffin Investigations has listed Russo in its book since 1993, and has described him as having a history of "21 hole carding, card bending, Caribbean Stud conspiracy."
The company also listed Russo as a "known" card bender in a number of fliers sent to casinos.
Caesars Palace called the Nevada Gaming Control Board, handcuffed and searched Russo and Grosjean and detained them for five hours.
Russo and Grosjean were then arrested by Las Vegas police for allegedly cheating.
Russo was released the next day, but Grosjean was held in custody for 4 1/2 days.
At the recent trial, Caesars Palace contended the Gaming Control Board had investigated and decided to arrest Russo and Grosjean. However, the jury found Caesars Palace had pressed to have them arrested based on evidence the casino gave state investigators.
The jury found that Caesars Palace had no probable cause to believe that Russo or Grosjean committed a gaming violation or a felony.
Last year, Grosjean won a $400,000 judgment against Imperial Palace in a related case.
Source: www.casinomagazine.com/managearticle.asp
Here are some interesting comments about the above case:
#1 June 11th, 2005, 02:08 AM
catch 27
Member Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 16
The Fall Of Griffin Det.Agency
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Great Job Guys
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#2 June 11th, 2005, 02:34 AM
Joep
Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Las Vegas/Brooklyn N.Y.
Posts: 279
The Fall Of The Griifin Det. Agency
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In the case of James Grosjean and Michael Russo vs.Griffin Det. Agency and Caesars Palace.The jury tonight found Griffin and Caesars guilty of libel and defamation.Caesars was also found guilty of false imprisonment.The award was for 100,000.The jury will return on Friday June 17 to award punitive damages.Caesars and Griffin will have to supply to the jury their net worth so that the punitive damages can be awarded.I was in the courtroom when the verdict was announced.It will be a verdict that will ever change the current conditions on how skilled players are treated by casino's ,and how Griffin will just not be allowed to say what ever they please about players with no regard for the players reputation or character.To James and Michael and Bob Nersesian your attorney, on behalf of all the members of BJT we all thank you for you courage to step up and take on the Casino's and Griffin Det.Agency on a level playing field which is the courtroom .They are not use to playing on a level playing field.It was a great day for the "GOOD GUYS" and I was glad to be there........
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#3 June 11th, 2005, 06:10 AM
mikeaber
Member Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Kansas
Posts: 47
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This verdict needs more publicity. Ought to have a segment on 60-minutes or one of those prime-time shows!
#4 June 17th, 2005, 06:03 PM
TXtourplayer
Executive Member Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Irving, TX
Posts: 986
Good Guy's win
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joep
In the case of James Grosjean and Michael Russo vs.Griffin Det. Agency and Caesars Palace.The jury tonight found Griffin and Caesars guilty of libel and defamation.Caesars was also found guilty of false imprisonment.The award was for 100,000.The jury will return on Friday June 17 to award punitive damages.Caesars and Griffin will have to supply to the jury their net worth so that the punitive damages can be awarded.
THEY SETTLED WITH THEM! Both Griffin and Ceasars settled today with James Grossjean and Michael Russo.
Joep was there and will follow this post up later with more details.
Congratulations guys!
#5 June 18th, 2005, 07:36 PM
Joep
Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Las Vegas/Brooklyn N.Y.
Posts: 279
Final Verdict In
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Actually Rick you are 1/2 right.Caesars settled with them, they made them an offer that they couldn't refuse.Griffin did not settle, the jury awarded another 25,000 to them.Griffin's refusal to settle in my opinion was based upon their refusal to believe that they have done anything wrong.I believe that because even after the verdict was rendered they came to court and said that they have changed their database now to read arrested for card bending instead of card bending.How dense are these people the arrest was voided for lack of evidence the jury found that you were guilty of libel and slander and this is your fix to make things right.I guess the fact that Griffin had been 18-0 in previous lawsuits makes Beverly and the rest of the clowns working there think that they are above the law.Think again the old days are gone......... The verdict would have been higher but Griifin came to court and showed that they have lost money the last 4 years.More hogwash why would you continue to run a business that losses money every year.They have 113 clients paying from 450 @ month to 1,000 per month.They gross over 700,000 per year and their office in in a casita in the back yard of Beverly's home with only 4 full time workers.These people have no regard for the law,and make a habit of providing false information to any and all who will listen.This time they had to pay for it.......James and Michael you stood up to them and we all tip our hats to you..
Joep
#6 June 19th, 2005, 06:04 AM
Joep
Posts: 279
Grosjean Article
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http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_h...ss/2184716.html This is the article that appeared in Saturdays paper covering the case
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#7 June 20th, 2005, 10:49 AM
Posts: 101
Griffin Toppled ?
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Is it just me or did the casino lights in Vegas seem to dim slightly on Friday? This decision is paramount to the toppling of the statue of Saddam in Bagdad.
Hopefully the jury will see fit to make the punitive damages enough to make casino think twice before going after an AP again.
Nice job guys!
instagator
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