An Alameda County jury ruled today that former Oakland Raider Bill Romanowski engaged in battery by slugging former teammate Marcus Williams in a practice field skirmish but awarded Williams $340,000 in damages, far less than Williams asked.
The jury found no intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Williams alleged that Romanowski ended his professional football career in the Aug. 24, 2003, incident at a Raiders practice in Alameda.
In closing arguments last week, attorneys for Williams asked for at least $2.9 million in damages and as much as $8.6 million plus unspecified punitive damages, depending in part on how long a professional football career jurors believe he could have had if he hadn't been injured by Romanowski.
Jurors deliberated for two days.
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I think Romanowski got off cheap!! I always liked him until I realized he was such a dirty player.
gmginsfo
Mar 23 2005, 05:14 PM
I agree 100%, Di. I saw that article today and the first thing I thought of was moving for a new trial on the issue of damages, or seeking an additur, which is a post-trial motion by which the judge can increase a verdict that is deficient as a matter of law, as this one seems to be. Particularly coming from a Bay Area jury, I found the award low, given the nature and extent of Williams' damages, his apparent attractiveness as a plaintiff/witness, and the local jury pool, which can be almost a liberal in its awards as the SF one across the Bay. I hope Williams' lawyers make the motion, and I hope they get it, as well as some punies, tacked on to this substandard verdict. Romanowski sounds like a real lout.
SFHoya
Mar 23 2005, 05:49 PM
Romanowski totally got off cheap. His attorney told the press they offered Williams a $300K settlement prior to trial. I don't know what that says about what the jurors thought about Williams' claims. But it does look like Romo got his money's worth when he hired his attorney.
(As an aside, I saw Romo and his plea copping wife at a restaurant a couple of years back. He was looking pretty good and knew his way around the wine list pretty well.)