Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death

By Acheron April 10, 2001 7:10 PM

(MrShowbiz) A widow of a stand in extra is suing Warner Brothers and Castle Rock Entertainment over the death of her husband during filming of Proof Of Life in Equador one year ago.

William P. Gaffney, who was standing in for actor David Morse, died April 9, 2000, when a truck he was in ran off the road and into a steep ravine. His widow, Karine S. Gaffney, claims in her suit that the filming conditions were unsafe; specifically, that the road had no protective borders and that the truck used in the scene did not have a working emergency brake or sufficient tread on the tires to navigate the muddy roads.

Morse's character in the film is abducted by terrorists, so his stand-in, Gaffney, was in the back of the truck with a hood over his head and his hands tied behind his back. Gaffney was thrown from the truck after the driver lost control and plunged down the embankment. He died half an hour later of his injuries, the lawsuit claims.

Director Taylor Hackford told The Associated Press at the time that the crash occurred during "an ordinary driving shot of a truck going less than 15 mph on a mountain road. The weather and circumstances were perfect. No one, at this time, has any idea what happened, other than to say it was a freak accident."

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RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by FredHater (fred_hater@hotmail.com) on April 11, 2001 6:36 AM

I wish somebody told that poor guy that thats why they have stand-ins. So that nothing happens to the people that matter to them.

RE: RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on April 13, 2001 3:30 AM

I hope she takes WB for all she can get.  They should have made sure that the driver knew what he was doing.  Road maintance in third world countries is not high on the list.  Just look at some of the roads in the United States, some are just as bad.  After WB pulled that stunt with USA and having La Femme Niktia I would not trust anything they said.

RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on April 13, 2001 8:59 AM

down with capitalism.

RE: RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by FredHater (fred_hater@hotmail.com) on April 13, 2001 11:31 AM

capitalism is good.

carelessness and a lack of ethics is bad.

money is good. greed is bad.

its simple.

RE: RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on April 14, 2001 6:41 PM

put your money where your mouth is and move to China or anywhere else that is anti-capitalism.

RE: RE: RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by FredHater (fred_hater@hotmail.com) on April 16, 2001 6:19 AM

Actually China is pro-capitalism...they are just a--holes.

RE: RE: RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by TheUndeadChick (zombiebme@yahoo.com) on April 16, 2001 7:29 AM

Hmmm...accidents do indeed happen.
In my opinion (as askewed as my thinking may be), I don't think "Who can I sue for this?" would enter into my list of considerations during the grieving process of my late, stunt-weilding husband. And at the suggestion I would probably have to reply "Is that going to bring him back?", followed by an angry "Do you think cash will ease this suffering?"
But that's just me I guess.
I am not a big fan of Sue Happy America.

RE: RE: RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by FredHater (fred_hater@hotmail.com) on April 16, 2001 1:32 PM

It wouldn't bring him back but it may help her deal with the loss of whatever income he brought in.

Think about it...HER HUSBAND IS DEAD!!!
It's not about the money it is about survival and punishment.

It is rather annoying that you can so casually say "I'm not into suing people." When you have no true perspective on this womans plight. What the hell do Zombies understand about the world of the living anyway?

It also would serve the purpose of making studios think twice before cutting corners at the expense of the safety of their performers.

RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on April 18, 2001 8:42 AM

Thats why they use standins. But I would think their woukd be some sort of L & A insurance for this kind of thing. I would think she does have a claim.

RE: RE: RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by Ransom (No Email) on April 19, 2001 4:18 PM

could you update me on the incident with la femme nikita.. i am a big fan..

RE: RE: RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by Ransom (No Email) on April 19, 2001 4:27 PM

i agree.. after the death of my father this year i would think that if losing a husband, parent, or wife, or any sig. other to an accident that an agency was responsible for would be a reason for someone having to learn the process of accountablity. It does; i would think; make people responsible for negligence and make others in the furture safer.. and as you said the agency to think twice.. Wouldn't a company like that have some sort of disability or accident clause upon hiring someone?

RE: RE: Widow Sues Over Proof Of Life Death   reply

Posted by TheUndeadChick (zombiebme@yahoo.com) on April 20, 2001 7:55 AM

Hehheh...uh...okay. I'm all for people being accountable for their actions, Fred. But I guess it just strikes me as inappropriate to use the death of my husband as someone else's life lesson. Maybe I'm not so bitter about life in general that I feel "punishment" is the end of the means. Lastly, I hate to break it to you, but this is the year 2001. Women aren't quite as dependant on their husbands income as they had to be previously.
All in all, there is such a thing as an accident. If there wasn't, we wouldn't have a word for it. I suspect he knew the risks going into it.

By the way, Fred, please don't make any sort of assumption on my life, about what I may or may have not experienced and gone through. The fact is that you don't know me, and you surely can't judge me by one post.
Cheers.