Update - Boat crash on Hudson River, Wedding Party

[Ratickle]

By Tracy Jarrett, Writer, NBC News

One body has been found in the water after a bride-to-be and a best man went missing when a boat crashed into a barge on the Hudson River on Friday night, officials said, and the boat’s operator has been arrested.

Four other people remained in the hospital Saturday while investigators continued their search, NBC New York reported. The search was suspended at 5 pm local time on Saturday and was set to continue on Sunday morning.

JoJo K. John, 35, has been arrested and will be arraigned in an area hospital on counts including vehicular manslaughter in the first degree, according to Rockland County Undersheriff Robert Van Cura.

A woman's body was discovered adrift and without a life jacket not far south of the bridge, Van Cura said at a press conference on Saturday. Police will continue searching for a second missing body. The body has not been identified, officials said.

The Coast Guard said six people were on a 21-foot Stingray near Piermont, N.Y., when it hit the barge at around 10:40 p.m. local time on Friday evening in the vicinity of the Tappan Zee Bridge.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The accident happened shortly after the boat left Piermont for a short trip across the river to Tarrytown, Rockland County Sheriff's Department Chief William Barbera said at a news conference on Saturday morning, according to the Associated Press.

"While the Rockland County Sheriff, N.Y. State Police and U.S. Coast Guard continue to investigate this tragic incident, the New York State Thruway Authority is conducting its own review of safety procedures on the Hudson River as part of the New NY Bridge Project,” said Brian Conybeare, special advisor to the governor, in a statement.

The missing woman, identified by family members as Lindsey Stewart, 30, was to get married on Aug. 10, and the man, identified as Mark Lennon, was supposed to be the best man in the wedding, relatives told NBC New York.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time," Conybeare added.

Groom-to-be Brian Bond, 36, is among the four injured passengers, who were described as suffering severe injuries, including head trauma and broken bones. Bond is in “fair” condition at Westchester Medical Center, according to spokesman David Billing.

Some of those injured are awake and providing information to investigators. Bond, however, is currently unable to speak due to his injuries, Walter Kosik, the bride’s stepfather told NBC New York.

Police said that while it would have been dark in the area at the time of the crash, the barge was lit up.

"At this point, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC, has reported to the Thruway Authority that all Coast Guard lighting requirements were met and that the barges were properly lit Friday night. All lighting was checked Saturday morning and is fully operational at all barge locations associated with the project,” Conybeare said in the statement.

Bride, best man missing in boat crash on Hudson River; one body found - U.S. News (http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/27/19715160-bride-best-man-missing-in-boat-crash-on-hudson-river-one-body-found?lite)

[appsyscons]

"We have probable cause to believe that he operated the boat while intoxicated," said Robert Van Cura, undersheriff of the Rockland County Sheriff's Office.

The boat operator, Jojo K. John, 35, of Nyack, New York, was arraigned at an area hospital on one count of first-degree vehicular manslaughter and three counts of second-degree vehicular assault, Van Cura told reporters.

More charges are possible, he said.

[Serious News]

Hudson boat crash pilot due in court on Wednesday

ORANGEBURG — The Nyack man charged with vehicular manslaughter and vehicular assault in connection with the July boat crash that killed two people is to appear Wednesday in Town Court.

JoJo John, 35, was piloting a 19-foot powerboat that struck a construction barge near the Tappan Zee Bridge on July 26. Several were thrown from the boat, including Lindsey Stewart, 30, of Piermont and Mark Lennon, 30, of Pearl River. Both drowned after suffering injuries in the crash.

David Narain, one of John’s lawyers, said he expects very little to occur during Wednesday’s hearing.

“I anticipate it will simply be an adjournment to a later date,” he said via email. “The defense has not received grand jury notice yet.”

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe has said he will wait until all the necessary evidence is available before deciding whether to indict John.

Stewart was to have married Brian Bond on Aug. 10. Lennon would have served as the couple’s best man.

John is to appear at 6 p.m. before Town Justice Patrick J. Loftus.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20130923/NEWS02/309230063/Hudson-boat-crash-pilot-due-court-Wednesday

[Serious News]

Update:

Hudson boat crash to go to grand jury

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Authorities said Tuesday they were confident toxicology reports will bolster their chances of getting an indictment against the operator of a power boat that crashed into a Tappan Zee Bridge construction barge in the Hudson River, killing a bride-to-be and her fiance's best man in July.

Although investigators declined to release JoJo John's blood-alcohol content after the fatal crash, prosecutors will present the results and other evidence to a grand jury, probably this month, to seek a felony indictment on vehicular manslaughter and other charges against John, District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said. The blood-alcohol threshold for boating while intoxicated is 0.08 percent.

"The full toxicology is back and the office is preparing to present the matter to a grand jury," Zugibe said. "We're not going to discuss individual pieces of evidence."

Rockland County Sheriff Louis Falco said Tuesday the results support his office's investigation, which he said includes information beyond the tests.

Sheriff's officers charged John with one count of second-degree vehicular manslaughter and vehicular assault a day after the July 26 crash near the bridge. Both charges include accusations that John was intoxicated, based upon the observations of investigators and initial blood tests at Nyack Hospital.

"I am confident that the facts we present to a grand jury — and that includes the toxicology report — will lend itself to an indictment," Falco said, adding he expects the findings to be released after the grand jury makes a decision.

James Mercante, a civil lawyer representing John, said Tuesday he hadn't received the official toxicology results but wouldn't be surprised if they showed John had alcohol in his system. He thinks authorities probably had evidence when they initially charged John in the hospital.

But Mercante said his client's level of drinking had nothing to do with the fatal crash. It was all about the poor lighting on the barges, he said.

"Impaired or not, you should be able to drive a boat across the Hudson River without facing a major impairment in your path," Mercante said. "Many people complained about the lighting on the barges and nobody on the boat saw it that night."

The Coast Guard maintained that the barge's lights met federal requirements, though more lighting was added in the days after the crash.

Zugibe said his office is still awaiting an incident reconstruction report by state park police investigators.

Lindsey Stewart, 30, of Piermont and Mark Lennon, 30, of Pearl River were thrown from the boat and killed. Stewart was to be married in two weeks to Brian Bond, 35, who was injured along with John and two others on board.

John is due in Orangetown Justice Court on Nov. 13, pending a grand jury review.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/08/hudson-boat-crash-to-go-to-grand-jury/2949605/

[Serious News]

A Rockland grand jury began hearing testimony Monday in the case involving a Nyack man accused of piloting a high-speed boat while drunk and crashing into a Tappan Zee Bridge construction barge at night, killing a bride-to-be and her fiance’s best man.

Rockland District Attorney Thomas Zugibe confirmed the development in the case against JoJo John but said he cannot discuss the evidence or planned witnesses because grand jury proceedings are secret. He said he doesn’t expect the grand jury to make any decisions this week.

The grand jury presentation had been delayed while prosecutors awaited toxicology results from the state police on the level of alcohol and/or drugs in John’s system when the crash occurred on the night of July 26.

The blood-alcohol threshold for boating while intoxicated is 0.08 percent.

Rockland Sheriff’s Office investigators charged John the day after the crash with second-degree vehicular manslaughter and second-degree vehicular assault.

Both charges include accusations that John was intoxicated, based upon the observations of investigators and initial blood tests at Nyack Hospital.

At the time, authorities said a grand jury could consider additional charges given two people died and four were injured.

John’s lawyers have contended the lack of sufficient lighting on the barge caused the crash. The families of the two people killed — Lindsey Stewart, 30, of Piermont and Mark Lennon, 30, of Pearl River — have made similar arguments.

The Coast Guard maintained that the barge’s lights met federal requirements, though the bridge contractor added more lighting in the days after the crash.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20131028/NEWS02/310280048/Fatal-Hudson-boat-crash-Rockland-grand-jury-begins-hearing-evidence

[Bobcat]

Everyone on that boat shares equal blame.

[Serious News]

Man accused in tragic boat crash admitted to ‘drinking all day’

NEW CITY, NY — The man accused of crashing a powerboat into a barge on the Hudson River, killing a bride-to-be and her fiance’s best man, told rescuers he’d been “drinking all day,” a prosecutor said Wednesday.

Rockland County Assistant District Attorney Stephen Moore made the disclosure during the arraignment of Jojo John, 35, of Nyack. John pleaded not guilty to all 18 counts against him, including vehicular manslaughter and operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The July crash, which occurred about 30 miles north of Manhattan, killed Lindsey Stewart of Piermont and Mark Lennon of Pearl River, both 30. Stewart’s wedding was two weeks away.

John and three others, including the groom-to-be, were injured. John suffered a fractured skull and fractured spine, defense attorney David Narain said Wednesday.

Prosecutors have said John had nearly twice the legal level of alcohol in his system when the boat crashed on the night of July 26 into a barge involved in the construction of a new Tappan Zee Bridge.

Moore told Judge William Kelly that right after the crash, John “indicated ‘it was my fault’ and ‘I’ve been drinking all day’ … or words to that effect,” while talking with first responders.

http://nypost.com/2013/11/21/man-accused-in-tragic-boat-crash-admitted-to-drinking-all-day/

[Serious News]

Fiance in Deadly Hudson Boat Crash Sues Driver, Barge Owners

The fiance of the woman killed when their friend allegedly drunkenly crashed a powerboat into a barge on the Hudson River over the summer is suing the boat driver, who owned the vessel, as well as the owners of the construction barges that were in the river at the time of the accident, alleging poor or malfunctioning lighting on the ships contributed to the deadly crash.

Brian Bond was injured in the accident that killed his bride-to-be, Lindsey Stewart, and his best man, Mark Lennon, on July 26. Stewart and Lennon were thrown from the boat after it hit a stationary barge involved in the construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge.

Stewart, 30, and Bond were set to be married Aug. 10.

Jojo John, the boat driver, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment last week to all 18 counts in an indictment that accuses him of vehicular manslaughter and operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs, among other charges.

Prosecutors have said John told first responders he'd been "drinking all day" prior to the crash.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, Bond's attorney alleges John couldn't see the barges because of poor lighting, which contributed to the accident. The lawsuit alleges the owners and operators of those barges ignored warnings that indicated the lighting on them was insufficient or not working properly.

The lawsuit claims the barges involved in the accident "were black and low to the water, thus making them even more difficult, if not impossible, to see by boaters and mariners."

John, unable to see the barges, crashed into at least one, causing the death of his friends and physical and emotional injuries to Bond, the lawsuit claims. The lawsuit alleges no one else on the boat with John and Bond that night saw the barges either.

According to the lawsuit, the owners of the barges installed additional lighting shortly after the crash.

Bond's attorney is suing John, who owned the crashed boat, along with a co-owner and half a dozen construction companies that operate barges in the Hudson, for unspecified damages related to the physical and emotional injuries he suffered as a result of the accident.

John's attorney couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Hudson-Boat-Crash-Fiancee-Bride-Killed-Jojo-John-Lawsuit-Lighting-Construction-Barge-233490681.html

[Serious News]

Fatal boat crash on Hudson: Pilot in seeks protection from lawsuits

A Nyack man accused of killing two friends when he crashed a boat into a barge on the Hudson River while drunk has asked a federal court to exonerate him or limit his financial responsibility for their deaths.

Jojo John’s civil lawyer argues in court papers that despite accusations that he was drunk, he was not responsible for crashing the 19-foot pleasure boat into a construction barge. The boat’s co-owner, Anthony Amendola, who was not on the vessel, also is seeking the same relief from a U.S. District Court judge.

The legal action claims mooring buoys, to which the three construction barges were tied, were unlit or improperly lit, and that John and his five passengers could not see them in the river near the Tappan Zee Bridge. It also states the barge owner, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state failed to inform boaters of the four buoys.

John’s lawyer, James Mercante, wants his clients held not liable for any damages or have their liability limited.

“The solar lights on-board the barges were ineffective and/or insufficient to illuminate the barges and to warn mariners and the boating public of the presence of the barges near the middle of the river at night,” the legal action states.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20131203/NEWS02/312030027/Fatal-boat-crash-Hudson-Pilot-seeks-protection-from-lawsuits

[Serious News]

Fatal Hudson boat crash lawsuits consolidated, moved to federal court (video)

Claims now in federal court

All civil lawsuits involving the pleasure craft that struck a construction barge on the Hudson River near the Tappan Zee Bridge will be heard in federal court, a judge decided Thursday.

U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel signed an order consolidating all claims and future lawsuits involving the two deaths and four injuries before a federal judge.

Four lawsuits already have been filed in state Supreme Court involving the boat crash killing bride-to-be Lindsey Stewart and her fiance’s best man, Mark Lennon, on July 26. Four others were injured in the nighttime crash. The lawsuits were filed by the estates of Stewart and Lennon and two injured friends against the builders of the new bridge, the owners of the barges, and Jojo John of Nyack and John Amendola, who own the boat involved in the accident.

John already has pleaded not guilty to an 18-count indictment that included charges of first- and second-degree vehicular manslaughter, negligent homicide and operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He is to return to court Jan. 3.

His blood-alcohol content was 0.015, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08 and traces of cocaine were found in his body, prosecutors said. Prosecutors also claim he drove the boat recklessly at a high rate of speed.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20131205/NEWS02/312050054/Fatal-Hudson-boat-crash-lawsuits-consolidated-moved-federal-court-video-

[Serious News]

Hudson boat crash: D.A. rebuts claim by Jojo John's lawyer that only one of barge's lights was lit

Jojo John’s lawyers claimed Thursday that only one construction barge light was lit on the summer night he’s accused of driving a boat while drunk and crashing the 19-foot vessel into the steel barge, causing the death of two friends.

Attorney David Narain’s assertion was called “misleading” by Rockland District Attorney Thomas Zugibe, who said the evidence shows four lights on the barge were working prior to the Hudson River crash on July 26.

Zugibe said first responders to the fatal crash reported three lights remained on the corners of the barge and a fourth light, still working, was found several days later in the Hudson River.

“The evidence seems to support that the barges met federal regulations,” Zugibe said.

Narain disputed Zugibe’s claims regarding the barge’s lighting, noting that the defense will challenge whether the fourth light was installed on the barge at the time of the crash. The defense attorney alleged that regardless of the fourth light, the barge still failed to meet federal standards, despite reports to the contrary by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Narain maintained one barge light worked while two others were turned off and the insufficient lighting, not John’s alleged intoxication, caused the crash

“Having just one light on the massive barges in the Hudson River made them virtually invisible, preventing anyone from seeing them,” Narain said.

Narain also said witnesses and other boaters had told officials that the barge lights were ineffective before the crash. Narain said the defense based its assessment on its own investigation and information the District Attorney’s Office is required by law to provide.

Tappan Zee Constructors, which leases the barges being used in the construction of the new bridge, declined comment.

Narain’s remarks came after state Supreme Court Justice William Kelly extended the defense team’s time to review the evidence.

John, 36, has pleaded not guilty to an 18-count indictment that includes charges of first- and second-degree vehicular manslaughter, negligent homicide, and operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20140109/NEWS03/301090040/Hudson-boat-crash-D-rebuts-claim-by-Jojo-John-s-lawyer-only-one-barge-s-lights-lit

[fund razor]

Maybe what he meant was that it wasn't lit up ENOUGH for a guy who was drunk and coming down from a cocaine binge to see?

[Serious News]

Barge owners seek protection in Hudson boat crash

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- The owners of the Tappan Zee Bridge construction barges are seeking to limit or exonerate themselves from any financial liabilities resulting from lawsuits by the families of a bride-to-be and best manwho were killed and by two injured when a boat they were riding in crashed into one of the barges in July.

The companies blame the pilot for the crash, claiming Jojo John was driving in a negligent manner, at an unsafe and high rate of speed and without paying attention to safety warnings.

The request for financial protection is similar to what John sought in December from a U.S. District Court judge in White Plains, N.Y.

John, 36, of Nyack, N.Y., is charged criminally with causing the death of his two friends by driving the 19-foot boat drunk on the Hudson River and crashing into the stationary barge on the night of July 26.

Rockland County, N.Y., prosecutors said test results found John's blood-alcohol level at 0.15%, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08%. The test results also found his body contained traces of cocaine. Prosecutors claim he drove the boat recklessly at a high rate of speed.

John's lawyers blame the crash on the insufficient or lack of lighting on the barges, regardless of whether John was drunk or had cocaine in his bloodstream. They argue John and his five passengers could not see the three barges moored together in the river near the Tappan Zee Bridge, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state had failed to inform boaters about their presence.

The requests to limit the liability or exonerate John and co-boat owner, Anthony Amendola, came on the heels of lawsuits filed by the estates of bride-to-be Lindsey Stewart and her fiance's best man, Mark Lennon, both 30 and from Pearl River, N.Y., who died in the crash. Separate lawsuits also were filed by the groom, Brian Bond, and another passenger, John Schumacher.

The legal move filed Wednesday comes from Tappan Zee Constructors LLC (TZC) of White Plains, the consortium building the $3.9 billion bridge spanning Rockland and Westchester counties that is scheduled for completion in 2018. Also seeking limited liability or exoneration are Traylor Bros Inc. of Indiana, a partner in the consortium and a barge owner, and barge owner McDonough Marine Services of Louisiana.

The crash occurred two days after the three barges were moored just south of Piermont, N.Y. The companies claimed in their legal action they were not at fault for the crash, the deaths or injuries to the people on the boat.

They estimate the collective value of the three barges does not exceed $655,000.

"At the time the 19 foot Stingray allided with the TZC moored barges, it was being operated in a negligent manner, including at an unsafe and high rate of speed, without proper look-out and without due regard to the warnings published by the U.S. Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association in the navigational charts for the area," the legal papers filed by the companies state.

John's lawyer, James Mercante, has argued Hudson River boaters had complained about the lack of lighting on the barges prior to the fatal crash and the companies added lights and notified the public afterward.

"The solar lights on-board the barges were ineffective and/or insufficient to illuminate the barges and to warn mariners and the boating public of the presence of the barges near the middle of the river at night," Mercante stated in legal action on John's behalf.

Frank Floriani, the Manhattan lawyer representing the Stewart and Lennon families in their civil lawsuits, also said the barge owners had been told the lighting was bad.

The 2,800-pound Stingray is being used as security in the civil cases. Court papers state the owners' interest in the boat is valued at $7,000. John owns the boat with Amendola, who was not on the vessel during the crash.

John has pleaded not guilty to an 18-count indictment that included charges of first- and second-degree vehicular manslaughter, negligent homicide and operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs. His defense attorneys claim the lighting on the barges failed to meet federal guidelines, despite the U.S. Coast Guard contending guidelines were met.

John, who is free on $25,000 bail, is due back in court March 27.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/13/ny-boat-crash-barge-owners-seek-limited-liability/4465323/

[Serious News]

Hudson fatal boat crash: Jojo John pleads guilty

NEW CITY – A Nyack man faces two years in jail after pleading guilty Monday to charges he caused the death of two friends when he operated a speedboat drunk and crashed into a construction barge for the Tappan Zee Bridge.

Jojo John, 36, admitted to two counts second-degree vehicular manslaughter in the July 26 crash that killed bride-to-be Lindsey Stewart, 30, of Piermont and her fiance's best man, Mark Lennon, 30, of Pearl River. Stewart and Brian Bond, who was one of the injured, had been set to marry that August.

John appeared before state Supreme Court Justice William Kelly, ending a case in 20 minutes that had swelled emotions and prompted questions over safety on the Hudson River where the replacement span is being constructed.

A statement released later by his lead attorney, David Narain, named those who died and the three passengers who – along with John – were seriously injured.

It said John "expresses his condolences to the Stewart and Lennon families for their tragic losses. Although the criminal matter will soon be resolved, Mr. John continues to mourn the loss of his two close friends, Lindsey Stewart and Mark Lennon. Additionally, his thoughts and prayers are with Brian Bond, John Schumacher and Dan Diiorgi, who were also affected by this heartbreaking incident."

John's sentencing has been set for Sept. 16.

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/crime/2014/06/09/hudson-fatal-boat-crash/10231439/

[Serious News]

Boat driver gets 2 years in crash that killed bride-to-be

NEW CITY, N.Y. — A New York man was sentenced to two years in county jail Tuesday for piloting his boat drunk and smashing it into a Tappan Zee Bridge construction barge, killing two passengers.

A sobbing Jojo John apologized to his victims' families before being sentenced.

"I'm so sorry," John said, turning to the packed Rockland County court gallery to face the parents of Lindsey Stewart and Mark Lennon. "I love Lindsey and Mark with all my heart."

John, a Nyack, N.Y., resident and former bank employee, will serve his time in the Rockland County Jail for the July 26, 2013, wreck that killed Stewart, 30, of Piermont, N.Y., and Lennon, 30, of Pearl River, N.Y.

John could be released after 16 months with time off for good behavior, Rockland District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said.

The fatal crash led to questions and lawsuits over safety issues on the Hudson River near the construction of the bridge. John and others tied to the incident maintain the barge was poorly lit.

A number of family members wore shirts honoring the victims. Stewart and Brian Bond, who was one of those injured in the crash, were to have been married less than a month later; Lennon was to have been the best man at their wedding.

A day doesn't go by when I don't think of Lindsey and Mark. I miss Lindsey's hugs and her great smile and I miss Mark's infectious laughter.

On the night of the crash, John had taken his friends out for a night boat ride after dinner and drinks at a restaurant in Piermont.

John spoke for several minutes before he was sentenced by state Supreme Court Justice William Kelly. He called July 26 "the saddest day of my life," described Stewart and Lennon as two of his closest friends and said he wished he would have died that day instead of them.

"A day doesn't go by when I don't think of Lindsey and Mark," he said, fighting through the tears. "I miss Lindsey's hugs and her great smile and I miss Mark's infectious laughter."

Also speaking were Ray Lennon, 31, Lennon's brother, and Dan DiIorgi, another injured passenger. Both said that while they didn't condone John's actions, he wasn't solely responsible and would have to live with the consequences for the rest of his life.

"We're not here to speak ill of Jojo," Lennon told the judge.

He said John's conviction was "incomplete justice."

Lennon and DiIorgi said the owner of the barge shared blame. Both also were critical of the District Attorney's Office, which they said protected the barge owner.

Lennon said the sentence marked another step in a "terrible nightmare which our family has yet to wake up from."

Prosecutor Stephen Moore said John was properly being held responsible. Tests determined John had a blood-alcohol level in excess of 0.15% at the time of the crash, as well as cocaine metabolites in his system. The legal limit of alcohol for operating a boat or vehicle is 0.08%.

(Jojo John) was operating the boat at a high rate of speed in the dark. It was like operating a vehicle with his eyes closed.

"What we're talking about here is reckless conduct," Moore said Tuesday, noting that John has a substance-abuse problem, spent 18 months in rehab just before the boat wreck and was on probation for a cocaine possession conviction. Part of the time he will serve is for violating that probation.

In June after months of court appearances, John accepted a plea deal that spared him the possibility of having to serve his time in state prison.

Zugibe said during a news conference that the grand jury and law enforcement investigated the lighting on the barges.

"Not withstanding the propaganda, there's no evidence to support criminal charges," Zugibe said of the barge owners. "We believe John was solely responsible. He was operating the boat at a high rate of speed in the dark. It was like operating a vehicle with his eyes closed."

John's lead lawyer, David Narain, said while his client took responsibility for his actions, the lighting was an issue.

John's family and friends were anguished over his jailing right after the sentencing, a friend, P.T. Thomas, said.

Thomas, a Rockland child protective services worker, said rehabilitation, not jail, would be more effective in his friend's case.

"It's a sad day for the Indian community," Thomas said. "All of us and his family are miserable."

The Lennon and Stewart families are suing the barge operators, John, and others, though they have said they supported the plea agreement brokered by John's lawyers and prosecutors.

John's friends who were injured also have filed lawsuits.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/16/hudson-river-boat-crash-sentencing/15715817/

[Bobcat]

Everyone made the decision to ride along...equal blame.

[Ratickle]

Not in today's world.