Alliance for Justice Launches Crude Justice, a Film and Action Campaign Exploring the Difficult Choices and Legal Challenges Facing Victims of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

 

Washington, D.C., October 4, 2010 –Although the oil has stopped flowing from the wreck of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the legal process of fully and finally compensating thousands of victims from the Gulf region is only just beginning. With the prospect of many years of legal battles looming, Alliance for Justice today released Crude Justice, a 17-minute film that explores the catastrophic damage done to the lives and livelihoods of the people of the Gulf Coast and the difficult choices they must make as they seek justice and fair compensation. The film, which kicks off an action campaign focused on promoting justice for victims and holding BP and other corporations accountable, is narrated by environmentalist and actor Ed Begley, Jr., and was largely shot on location in New Orleans and Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.

 

The film, which may be viewed at www.CrudeJustice.com, explains that with two paths to compensation open – the traditional route through the courts and BP’s $20 billion compensation fund – victims of the spill must make hard decisions that are made even more difficult by the enormous uncertainties inherent in a crisis whose ultimate effects may not be known for years. Crude Justice discusses those choices, as well as the biases inherent in a judicial system that often favors powerful, deep-pocketed interests over those of everyday Americans. Special focus is placed on the notorious – and highly relevant – Exxon Valdez case in which the Supreme Court slashed the punitive damages award for the victims of the 1989 Alaska disaster by 90 percent. The Crude Justice website also includes background information and an opportunity to take action in support of victims of the spill.

 

The story is told through the eyes of shrimpers, oystermen, and other residents of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, one of the hardest hit communities in the Gulf region. Attorneys and community advocates reflect on the plight of the victims and provide expert commentary about the challenging legal framework in which they will seek justice. (See full participant list below.)

 

In announcing the release of the film, Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron said, “The Deepwater Horizon oil spill continues to be a tragedy for the environment and communities of the Gulf region. Our campaign and this film were created to pose tough questions and to stimulate a national debate about the ability of everyday Americans to find justice and fairness in a legal system where powerful corporate interests often have disproportionate influence. It’s also our way of ensuring that the hard-working people of the Gulf are not forgotten, and is the first step in Alliance for Justice’s long-term efforts to vigilantly monitor the courts and the compensation fund to ensure that those whose lives have been damaged are made whole.”

 

Crude Justice is the latest in a series of First Monday Films and action campaigns launched annually by Alliance for Justice on the first Monday in October, the traditional opening day of the U.S. Supreme Court term.

 

The film may be viewed online at www.CrudeJustice.org. The website also provides viewing guides, additional background information about the legal issues, and profiles of the participants in the film. Viewers are encouraged to get involved in Alliance for Justice’s campaign to demand fairness and monitor the path to justice for victims of the oil spill. Copies of a DVD version of the film may be ordered online at http://www.afj.org/films-and-programs/crude_justice/order-the-film.html. Organizations may sign up to host screenings at http://www.afj.org/films-and-programs/crude_justice/host-a-screening-crude-justice.html.

 

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Participants appearing in Crude Justice:

 

Ed Begley, Jr.

Narrator

 

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George Barisich

President, United Commercial Fisherman’s Association

Arabi, Louisiana

 

Dr. Michael Blum

Assistant Professor

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Tulane University

New Orleans, Louisiana

 

Acy Cooper

Vice President, Louisiana Shrimpers Association

Venice, Louisiana

 

Marla Cooper

Venice, Louisiana

 

Shannon Dosemagen

Member Action Associate

Louisiana Bucket Brigade

New Orleans, Louisiana

 

Byron Encalade

President, Louisiana Oystermen’s Association

Pointe a la Hache, Louisiana

 

Harold Fedison, III

Oysterman

Pointe a la Hache, Louisiana

 

Monique Harden

Co-Director and Attorney

Advocates for Environmental Human Rights

New Orleans, Louisiana

 

Oliver Houck

Professor of Law

Tulane University Law School

New Orleans, Louisiana

 

Jason Itkin

Attorney

Arnold & Itkin

Houston, Texas

 

Gerald Torres

Bryant Smith Chair in Law

The University of Texas Law School

Austin, Texas

 

Nathalie Walker

Co-Director and Attorney

Advocates for Environmental Human Rights

New Orleans, Louisiana

 

William Yeomans

Fellow in Law and Government

American University Washington College of Law

 

 

Anthony Zupanovic

Oysterman

Belle Chasse, Louisiana

 

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 Alliance for Justice is a national association of over 100 organizations dedicated to advancing justice and democracy. For more than 30 years, AFJ  has led the fight for a more equitable society on behalf of a broad constituency of environmental, consumer, civil and women's rights, children's, senior citizens' and other groups. Alliance for Justice is premised on the belief that all Americans have the right to secure justice in the courts and to have our voices heard when government makes decisions that affect our lives.