Wednesday, January 06, 1999
Slain woman's kin awarded $3 M
BY STEVE KEMME
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON — A Butler County judge has awarded family members of Lisa Weber more than $3 million in damages against the man accused of murdering her.
In a ruling on a wrongful death civil lawsuit filed against Franklin Saunders, Common Pleas Judge Anthony Valen awarded Ms. Weber's two children, mother, brother and sister $2.4 million in punitive damages, $816,000 in compensatory damages and about $7,500 for Ms. Weber's funeral expenses.
“Frankly, we don't expect to collect $3 million from this guy,” said Jack Garretson, at torney for Ms. Weber's family.
“But you just don't know where people have their assets. We'll pursue him to the fullest extent of the law.”
Mr. Saunders, 39, of Blue Ash, is accused of dragging Ms. Weber, his ex-girlfriend, into his car June 9 in Butler County's Union Township and shooting her to death in nearby woods.
He has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated murder, kidnapping and violating a court order not to have weapons. If convicted, he could be sentenced to death.
Judge H.J. Bressler, who is handling Mr. Saunders' criminal case, declared him destitute earlier this year and appointed court-paid lawyers to represent him.
Mr. Saunders' financial assets have been frozen since Ms. Weber's family filed the lawsuit.
“We know he has no money,” said Ms. Weber's sister, Amy Stewart of Oxford.
“But we want to be sure he'll never get anything or own anything in the future. He took away from us, so we're going to take away from him as much as we possibly can.”
Ms. Weber's 18-year-old daughter, Shannon Weber of Hamilton, said the principle, not the money, behind the lawsuit is what's important.
“If we get two cents or $1,000, it doesn't matter,” she said. “It's never going to replace my mom.
“He didn't have the right to take my mom's life. If he gets out of jail some day and decides to write Dead Man Walking II,we should get the money. Whatever money he makes, we should get.”
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