Duval County

(1) DERRICK MCCANTS, as Personal Representative of the Estate of SHANNON MCCANTS, Deceased, vs. THE WACKENHUT CORPORATION (Circuit Court of Duval County, Florida)

 

County/Docket #/Judge: Duval / 16-2008-CA-014834 / James H. Daniel

 

Plaintiff(s) Attorney(s): Roosevelt Randolph and Dawn Pompey Whitehurst of Knowles & Randolph, P.A., Tallahassee, FL; Ronald R. Austin of Austin & Austin, P.A., Jacksonville, FL

 

Defendant(s) Attorney(s): Brian E. Currie and Bradley R. Johnson of Taylor, Day, et al., Jacksonville, FL

 

Age/Sex/Occupation Of Plaintiff: Shannon McCants (decedent): n/a / F / Pharmacist; Derrick McCants: 37 / M / n/a

 

Cause Of Injury: Wrongful Death/Negligent Security/Pharmacist Fatally Shot at Medical Center. Plaintiff Derrick McCants' wife Shannon McCants worked as a pharmacist at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center. Defendant Wackenhut Corporation provided the security and protective services for Shands. On Nov. 20, 2006, Shannon was shot and killed by an assailant at Shands. Plaintiff alleged that in July of 2006, the assailant Brenda Coney had been involved in another altercation and had threatened a fellow patient with a weapon. On Nov. 3, 3006, Coney had allegedly slapped a nurse and on Nov. 17, 2006, had physically attacked the decedent at the Shands pharmacy. Plaintiff claimed Wackenhut knew of these incidents and should have taken measures to prevent the fatal attack on his decedent. Defendant denied negligence and claimed that Shands was negligent.

 

Nature Of Injury: Death. Survivors included a husband and two minor children. 

 

Expert Witnesses: 

Plaintiff's:

Joseph Kinney, Security, Pinehurst, NC

David Macpherson, Ph.D., Economics, San Antonio, TX

 

Defendant's:

n/a

 

Verdict: $5,876,809 for Plaintiffs on Sept. 30, 2011 ($34,181 – medical/funeral expenses; $161,939 – past loss of support and services each to surviving minor son and daughter; $618,937 – future loss of support and services each to surviving minor son and daughter; $500,000 – past loss of parental companionship/pain and suffering each to surviving minor son and daughter; $1,000,000 – future loss of parental companionship/pain and suffering each to surviving minor son and daughter; $161, 939 – Derrick McCants’ past loss of spousal support and services; $618,937 – Derrick McCants’ future loss of spousal support and services; $250,000 – Derrick McCants’ past loss of spousal companionship/pain and suffering; $250,000 - Derrick McCants’ future loss of spousal companionship/pain and suffering).

 

Editor's Note: The jury found defendant 25% negligent and Shands 75% negligent.