Purser Family Wins $18 Million

A jury in Bell County, Texas has awarded the Purser family $18 million in compensatory damages against the co-defendants in this case, including personal injury attorney Jerry Scarbrough, Ms. Melissa Deaton, and Ms. Mary Steele. The jury determined that Mr. Scarbrough and his co-defendants failed to disclose the recordings of Gary Purser, the patriarch of a family that owns “several real estate and development companies in Killeen,” Texas. The recordings in question supposedly outline that the relationship between the two female co-defendants. It revealed the two co-defendanted. attempted to seduce Mr. Purser to transfer property deeds to themselves. 

As a result, the jury found that the co-defendants had committed fraud in failing to disclose the recordings. Mr. Scarbrough bore the brunt of jury’s verdict. Of the $18 million award, Mr. Scarbrough will have to pay about $12 million of the total award. The jury also found that Mr. Scarbrough was unethical in his handling of a separate lawsuit. In that suit, Mr. Scarbrough represented Ms. Deaton, who accused Ms. JoAnn Purser of assault and for making threats against Ms. Deaton. Mr. Scarbrough was also cited for numerous ethical violations. As for his co-defendants, the jury stated that Ms. Deaton should pay $4 million and Ms. Steele should pay $2.2 million to the Purser family for taking advantage of Mr. Purser. It was reported that the women took at least $76,000 from Mr. Purser at the end of his life. All of the co-defendants were cited as making defamatory remarks against the family. Needless to say, that the family was relived to hear the news in the courtroom. 

See Philip Jankowski, Jury Awards Purser Family $18M in Lawsuit, Killeen Daily Herald, Sept. 15, 2012.

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.)) for bringing this article to my attention.