Not how I would have handled things
Last night during trick-or-treating, I let kids select two pieces of candy from a big bowl. In one group, a girl picked her candy and, as she watched her friends/siblings take theirs, she said to me, “I’m going to take three,” and she did just that. I did nothing about it. I suppose I could have nicely and maybe firmly reminded her that it was only two per person, but she was a little kid, I had plenty of candy, and it just wasn’t worth it. Certainly, grabbing her arm and shaking the candy out of her hand or yelling at her would have been a completely inappropriate response. It’s only a piece of candy and hey, what is Halloween and trick-or-treating if you can’t be a little glutton for a night?
Segueing into the topic at hand ever so smoothly, violence is rarely an appropriate response to a transgression. And that is what happened during an incident in January 2021 at the Isle of Capri Casino in Waterloo, Iowa. On Monday, a jury awarded 36-year-old Montana Gunhus $1.732 million – from the coffers of the casino – for the trauma he went through when he was attacked by another customer.
What is interesting is that Gunhus was not entirely blameless in the situation and the lawsuit he filed was against the casino, not his attacker Desmond Williams.
According to testimony, Gunhus found a players club card in a slot machine and, rather than turning it into the casino, decided it would be a good idea to use it. Going by the “finders keepers” philosophy, Gunhus proceeded to spend $100 in loyalty credits from the card.
That card belonged to Desmond Williams’ wife. Williams reported it missing and casino staff was able to track it based on the machines it was used in, eventually finding Gunhus. Here is where the “appropriate response” thing comes into play. Rather than letting security to their job, Williams sucker punched Gunhus from behind and proceeded to beat him senseless for 25 seconds while he was on the floor.
Gunhus ended up with facial fractures and was blinded in his right eye.
Lawyers make their cases
Gunhus’ attorney, Jordan Talsma, argued that the Isle of Capri casino was liable because its employees did not protect Gunhus by keeping Williams away while they handled the situation. Additionally, Talsma said, staff didn’t step in to stop the attack because the casino has a “hands-off” policy on such violent situations.
Mark Thomas, the casino’s attorney, argued that Gunhus should be going after Williams, he was the attacker. He said staff didn’t keep the men separated because Williams showed no signs of aggression before the attack.
Thomas also called Gunhus the “trigger for the entire event” and said he should share in the responsibility because after all, Gunhus was the one who used a players club card that wasn’t his and effectively stole money from Williams’ wife.
Of course, that last argument is bullshit. Clearly, Gunhus was in the wrong and should have either left the card where it was or turned it in to the casino. He did basically steal the Williams’ money. BUT…the correct response from Mr. Williams was absolutely NOT to beat the shit out of him. Gunhus should not have done what he did, but having his face broken and his eye blinded was not a just punishment.
In the meantime, Williams is facing the criminal charge of willful injury causing serious injury. According to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, there is a bench warrant out for Williams, as he missed his August court date.