Friday, August 24, 2007

Defendants in Missouri State wrongful dismissal suit ask to have cases severed

With just a little over two weeks left before the trial of the wrongful dismissal lawsuit filed by former Missouri State University drama instructor is scheduled to start, the court was deluged today with a series of defense motion.
The trial in the lawsuit, filed by George Cron against the MSU Board of Governors, dance instructor Rhythm McCarthy and former Department of Theatre and Dance Chairman Jay Raphael, is scheduled to begin Monday, Sept. 10, in U. S. District Court in Springfield.
Attorneys for the defendants filed a motion asking that the defendants' cases be tried separately.
A series of suggested jury instructions and questions to ask during voir dire (jury selection) were filed, including the traditional queries about whether they know the plaintiff or the defendants, whether they have ever worked at Missouri State University or been related to anyone who does, have they ever been fired from a job, or ever appeared in a theatrical production.
Those motions will likely be decided at the same time as one filed earlier this week which would prevent Cron's attorneys from presenting any evidence concerning a romantic relationship between Cron and Ms. McCarthy or between Raphael and Ms. McCarthy.
More information about the case can be found in the Aug. 22 Turner Report.

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