Earlier this month we brought you the story of Timothy Poole, the Florida Lottery winner whose win caused outrage. Poole is a convicted sexual predator, much worse than the average offender, and many people thought he did not deserve the $3 million winnings. Apparently, the general public were not the only ones outraged, because two of Poole’s victims are now suing him.
In 1999, Poole was accused of sexually battering a 9- year- old boy. There were other reports that he also assaulted the boy’s brother who was 5 at the time. After initially denying the charges, he pleaded guilty to attempted sexual battery and was sentenced to time served.
In 2003, he was sent to prison for a parole violation, and he was released in 2006.
When he won the jackpot from a scratch-off ticket earlier this month, many of our readers were disgusted and said that he should not receive the money.
Unfortunately, Florida has no law that prevents criminals from receiving lottery payouts. Furthermore, as heinous as his crime was, he played fair and square, so as much as he doesn’t morally deserve the money, legally he had to be paid.
Karma is catching up with him though, so fear not. The victim of his sexual assault and the victim’s brother are now suing him for damages related to pain and suffering.
You see, legally we cannot prevent even the most disgusting criminals from winning money. If we tried, it would be a slippery slope. Criminals serve their time and when they complete their sentence we can’t legally continue to punish them. Even taking away felons’ voting rights isn’t exactly fair.
Their victims, however, are totally within their rights to sue. Many of you suggested they sue Poole and they have heeded your advice. Sexual assault victims face a lifetime of emotional pain even if the perpetrator is jailed. Money can go a long way toward repairing that damage. Therapy isn’t exactly cheap.
Hopefully, they win the suit. They certainly deserve it more than Poole does.
Featured image via FDLE
Most states, like Texas, have a limitation period on civil and criminal actions. These periods of time are referred to as “Statutes of Limitation.” They govern the amount of time that can pass before a criminal or civil case can be filed in court and pursued through the courts system. For example, in Texas victims of assaults or unwanted touching or groping by an employer have two years from the date of the assault to file suit and serve the defendant with the lawsuit. There are a few exceptions to the two year limitation period, such as when the perpetrator leaves the state.
James, does that apply when the victim is under-age? Just curious, not disagreeing. I hope these folks successfully drain this man of every asset he has.
Agreed 100%. We should not be able to stop him from collecting the money, but at the same time I hope his victims win damages from him. Not to spite him, but to gain their more than due reparations.
Unfortunately lawyers will profit the most from this lawsuit.