Blumenthal
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - A Connecticut Superior Court judge has reduced an award against the State by more than $16 million, but Attorney General Richard Blumenthal isn't through appealing.
Judge Barry Stevens took the $18.3 million award in favor of a business owner sued by Blumenthal down to $1.83 million Friday, a 90 percent decrease. He said the award was "a shocking injustice" and found indications that it "was influenced by partiality or mistake."
"I am pleased that the court rightly reduced this award, saving taxpayers millions of dollars," Blumenthal said.
"We will continue fighting to overturn this verdict and cut the award to nothing."
The lawsuit against the State was brought by Gina Malapanis, who alleged her company, Computers Plus, was ruined by the Department of Information Technology.
DOIT said computers sold to the State did not work, and Blumenthal filed suit. Malapanis was arrested in 2004 and was charged with scamming $300,000 from the State.
Those charges were dropped, and she filed a countersuit.
"Considering the evidence on this issue in its entirety, and giving due deference to the role and province of the jury, the court cannot find a reasonable or logical basis to support a finding that the actions of the DOIT proximately caused a total loss of CPC's market value," Stevens said in his decision.
From Legal Newsline: Reach John O'Brien by e-mail at jobrienwv@gmail.com.