The fatal shooting by Philadelphia SWAT officers who say a suspect shot at them first is among five new cases of interest in Pennsylvania, as is a man suing Frontier Airlines after hot water spilled on his crotch.
Estate of Vincenzo Rudi, et al., v. City of Philadelphia
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Oct. 14
This case was recently removed to federal court, where the City will have to fight wrongful death claims over a shootout in January 2022. It said at the time SWAT was assisting in serving a search warrant related to aggravated assault and firearms violations on South Bancroft St.
The City said officers told Rudi they were police but he did not drop the gun he was holding. Instead, it says, Rudi fired several rounds at an officer who returned fire. Rudi was struck and died from his injuries later.
The shootout occurred at Rudi's vehicle repair shop. The lawsuit says police ignored information regarding Rudi's mental health when they attempted to arrest him.
"At no time did Unknown Officer No. 1 attempt to talk to decedent or negotiate with him to drop his firearm, even though the decedent was in the back of a building and the acting officer was in the front doorway," the suit says.
It adds the officer fired at least 20 shots. He and the City are charged with negligence.
Jon Marshall of Philadelphia represents the plaintiffs.
John Doe v. Independence Blue Cross
U.S. Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Nov. 5
Doe is a transgender man who is suing his insurer for not paying for "masculinizing body contouring procedures," which include a body lift, abdominoplasty, panniculectomy, thigh lift and liposuction.
Doe hopes to change his female body shape to affirm his gender and included a letter of support from his therapist that "established the medical necessity" of the procedures.
"Defendant applied its cosmetic-surgery exclusion in a discriminatory manner against Plaintiff, discriminating against him based on his sex, gender identity, gender stereotyping and disability (gender dysphoria)," the suit says.
Justin Robinette represents the plaintiff.
Timothy Blair v. Manroland Goss Web Systems
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Nov. 4
The lawsuit features gruesome photos of an injury to Blair while he was operating a printing press made by Goss. Blair was using it while working at Creps Publication in August 2023.
He was tasked with monitoring web breaks and placing rolls of papers into the press.
"Plaintiff's hand was caught, entrapped, crushed and burned by the in-running nip-point in the rollers of the equipment, causing him to suffer excruciating, painful, disfiguring and permanent disabling injuries... when his left hand was unexpectedly pulled into the unguarded rollers," the suit says.
This lack of a guard constitutes a defect in the machine, the suit says.
In Re: Applicants for Masters Academy of York Charter School
York County Court of Common Pleas, Nov. 8
Three strikes and it's off to court for the proposed charter school in York. Masters Academy says it has been denied three times by the York School District to open a public charter school.
The final denial came on June 19. Masters Academy says it has obtained the signature of at last 2% of the residents of the school district. This figure comes to 896.
Following procedure, it now appeals the denials to the York County Court of Common Pleas.
The school board found Masters Academy's "documentation does not provide details about the actual training and support that educators will receive to deliver Culturally Relevant Sustainable Education and who would be responsible and competent to provide such training."
Sean Miller v. Frontier Airlines
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Nov. 10
Miller was headed home to Philadelphia from Myrtle Beach, S.C., in September when he asked for a cup of hot tea. But the water Frontier would have him use was unreasonably hot and filled to the brim of the cup.
"The scalding hot water spilled between his legs, through his clothing and directly onto Mr. Miller's genitalia," the suit says.
Miller suffered third-degree burns and scarring, the suit says.