The family of a man from Glendale, Arizona, who was killed by a schizophrenic patient in a Walmart parking lot in 2005, finally got some justice when a Maricopa County Superior Court jury awarded them $36 million in damages.
Ed Liu, 56, was a patient of ValueOptions Inc., the company that held the state contract to provide behavioural health care till last year. Since Liu had suffered from paranoid schizophrenia for over 20 years and couldn't even recall shooting Graham, it was decided that he was mentally incompetent to stand for trial for the death of Graham as well as Anthony Spangler, 18, also of Glendale. Instead, the company was held responsible for the deaths and were found by the jury to be 90 percent responsible.
The two victims were Walmart employees and were collecting shopping carts when Liu fired at them with a Glock semiautomatic pistol.
As per court evidence, Liu had not been visited by a medical practitioner for eight months before the incident took place. A nurse practitioner who had been charged with his care had informed the company that his condition was deteriorating yet they did not take any action. Eventually, Liu ran out of the medication he needed to function.
In May 2005, Liu called ValueOptions representatives telling them that he wanted to get back on his medications. Since he didn't keep his appointment they forgot about him and did not follow up on his case. In August of the same year he killed Graham and Spangler.
The story that evolved from the trial seemed to indicate that the healthcare provider had several opportunities to avoid this accident.
The state of Arizona and Liu were also named in the lawsuit. While the state paid $250,000, Liu's insurance policy also paid an undisclosed amount.
Spangler's family has also filed a lawsuit which is pending a hearing.
Ed Liu, 56, was a patient of ValueOptions Inc., the company that held the state contract to provide behavioural health care till last year. Since Liu had suffered from paranoid schizophrenia for over 20 years and couldn't even recall shooting Graham, it was decided that he was mentally incompetent to stand for trial for the death of Graham as well as Anthony Spangler, 18, also of Glendale. Instead, the company was held responsible for the deaths and were found by the jury to be 90 percent responsible.
The two victims were Walmart employees and were collecting shopping carts when Liu fired at them with a Glock semiautomatic pistol.
As per court evidence, Liu had not been visited by a medical practitioner for eight months before the incident took place. A nurse practitioner who had been charged with his care had informed the company that his condition was deteriorating yet they did not take any action. Eventually, Liu ran out of the medication he needed to function.
In May 2005, Liu called ValueOptions representatives telling them that he wanted to get back on his medications. Since he didn't keep his appointment they forgot about him and did not follow up on his case. In August of the same year he killed Graham and Spangler.
The story that evolved from the trial seemed to indicate that the healthcare provider had several opportunities to avoid this accident.
The state of Arizona and Liu were also named in the lawsuit. While the state paid $250,000, Liu's insurance policy also paid an undisclosed amount.
Spangler's family has also filed a lawsuit which is pending a hearing.
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