Moore charges Canucks with Conspiracy - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Ace_O_Spades · 02-18-2005, 01:34 PM

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=115295

Quote:

Moore's lawyer, Lee Foreman, said in a statement that the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Denver District Court accuses Bertuzzi of civil conspiracy, assault, battery and negligence.

The Denver Post, in a story on its website, said the defendants also included Canucks forward Brad May, Canucks coach Marc Crawford, former Vancouver GM Brian Burke, plus the partnership that owns the team, although Foreman did not confirm that.

The NHL was not among the defendants, but suffered yet another a black eye after cancelling the 2004-05 season because of the lockout on Wednesday.

The Canucks released a statement from GM Dave Nonis: "The Vancouver Canucks are aware of reports circulating to the effect a lawsuit has been commenced by Steve Moore in relation to the March 8, 2004 Colorado Avalanche vs. Vancouver Canucks game. To date, the Canucks have no additional information and accordingly have no further comment at this time."

The Post said the lawsuit was filed in Denver District Court, saying that the sequence of events that led to the attack began at a Feb. 16, 2004. Canucks-Avalanche game at the Pepsi Center.

Moore, now a free agent, suffered a broken neck, a concussion and facial injuries in the attack.

The Post said Moore is represented by Denver attorney Lee Foreman, part of the same firm that defended Lakers guard Kobe Bryant in the recent legal proceedings in Colorado, and Boulder attorney John Purvis.

The suit asks for damages, but doesn't cite a dollar figure.

He became a free agent after the season and hasn't been able to exercise since the attack, the lawsuit states.

In December, Bertuzzi pleaded guilty in Vancouver to assault causing bodily harm in a deal with prosecutors. He received a conditional discharge, a sentence that could carry no criminal record.

Tim Danson, the Toronto-based lawyer who represented Moore in Bertuzzi's criminal case, had said a civil suit against Bertuzzi hinged on whether Moore would recover his health and his NHL career.

"Steve has no intentions of commencing a civil lawsuit at this time because his priority is to get better and play hockey," Danson said in December.

Speaking shortly after Bertuzzi's plea agreement was announced, Moore said doctors had told him his hockey career was "uncertain."

It was during the Feb. 16 game that Moore enraged the Canucks by clobbering captain Markus Naslund in the second period of a 1-0 Vancouver win. Naslund was left with a concussion and missed three games while the hit went unpenalized, judged to be clean by league officials.

In the following days, the Canucks began to publicly speak of retribution, with May saying: "There's definitely a bounty on his head. It's going to be fun when we get him."

The teams met again March 4 in Denver, but with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman looking on, the teams were reasonably well-behaved and no one took a run at Moore during a 5-5 tie.

Things boiled over during their next meeting March 8 in Vancouver, a 9-2 Avalanche win.

Moore fought Matt Cooke in the first period and had several other Canucks take shots at him. In the third, Bertuzzi sucker-punched Moore from behind and fell on him, driving his head into the ice. The rookie was left unconscious with two fractured vertebrae and other injuries.

The NHL suspended Bertuzzi for the rest of the season and the playoffs, a ban that cost the Canucks star a little more than $500,000 US in salary. That's some $75,000 more than Moore made for the season.

Bertuzzi was charged June 24.

Bertuzzi has yet to be reinstated by the NHL, something that prevented him from playing in Europe during the lockout.

The International Ice Hockey Federation chose to honour the NHL's punishment.

So much for waiting to see if he can play again to file a lawsuit.

This is ridiculous, and I seriously hope it gets thrown out.

This is a slippery slope to opening all on ice conduct to the courts, and I think it's ridiculous.