Parents offer to drop wrongful death suit -- school district refuses

By Vince Mancini

Published on September 12, 2005

Grossmont high school district said it already has held forums on the topic and strengthened security on its campuses. An attorney for the district plans to ask a Superior Court judge to dismiss the suit, citing lack of merit.

In their complaint, set for a Feb. 3 trial, the parents of Bryan Zuckor and Randy Gordon accuse the district of negligence and wrongful death.

An attorney representing the parents said the district would rather continue paying for litigation even while his clients agree to settle for no money.

The parents are asking the district to work with them and the business community to hold a public forum on bullying and school violence.

An attorney for the district said he believes the parents and their lawyers are looking for a way out of a weak case, which he says has no theory of legal liability.

The parents had been seeking $1 million for each family, alleging that officials failed to detect warning signs in the behavior of Charles "Andy" Williams, who opened fire at Santana High School on March 5, 2001, killing Zuckor, 14, and Gordon, 17.

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