Date: 03-16-2012

Case Style: Families and Estates of Pryde and Peterson v. Virginia Tech

Case Number:

Judge: William Alexander

Court: Circuit Court, Montgomery County, Virginia

Plaintiff's Attorney: Robert T. Hall

Defendant's Attorney: Peter R. Messitt

Description: The families and estates of Julia Pryde and Erin Peterson sued the State of Virginia ex rel. Virginia Tech University on negligence wrongful death theories claiming that the University negligently failed to warn people on campus, including Pryde and Peterson, of the presence on the campus on April 16, 2007 to the gunman who killed them. Seung-Hui Cho shot and killed 30 people including Pryde and Peterson before killing himself.

The State claimed that what happened that day was not reasonably foreseeable.

Outcome: Plaintiffs' verdict for $8 million capped by Virginia law at $100,000.00.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: