Tragic Will Dispute in Cumbria

A dispute with his twin brother over their mother’s will may have sparked Derrick Bird’s shooting spree on June 2 in quiet Cumbria, England. The 52-year-old grandfather started his killing spree with his brother, David Bird and attorney Kevin Commons who may have been advising the family regarding their estate planning issues. Derrick then terrorized Cumbria, killing 10 more and injuring 25 before turning the gun on himself.

See Robert Winnett, Gordon Rayner, & Richard Edwards, Cumbria Shootings: Row Over Family Will Leaves 12 Dead and 25 Injured, Telegraph.co.uk, June 2, 2010.  See also Martha Neil, Will Dispute May Have Sparked Slayings of Lawyer and 11 Others; Another 25 Wounded, ABA Journal, June 3, 2010. 

Special thanks to Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) and Ann Murphy (Associate Professor of Law, Gonzaga School of Law) for bringing this to my attention.