Sweet Home Conneticut...
Posted: 13 Aug 2004, 08:11
In Milford, Conneticut, Tarvis Simm, twin brother of WBA light-middleweight champion Travis, won a civil court battle with The Neighbours from Hell. Tarvis, married to a white woman, was harassed by a white couple next door for years. The couple must now sell their home, move out of town, attend diversity classes and pay the Simms family $11,040.
A civil court jury levelled the fine against Wilfred and Michelle Chaisson yesterday, and a judge tacked on the other measures.
Simms sued the Chaissons in December 2001, nine months after they were convicted and sentenced to two years' probation for harassing the Simms family.
Simms' attorney Stuart Katz said the racial slurs began shortly after the Simmses moved into their home in October 1999. A dispute over a shared driveway mushroomed into daily taunts from Michelle Chaisson against the Simms children, and threats to kill their dog.
The attorney also said the Chaissons hung a Confederate flag in their garage and threw darts at a black mask facing the Simmses' house.
The Chaissons' attorney, Joseph Merly, called the $11,040 penalty a win because it could have been much larger.
"My clients were vindicated," he said. "Wilfred Chaisson said that he would sleep well tonight for the first time in years."
Tarvis Simms, also a pro boxer, said he stopped fighting for four years in fear of leaving his family alone, resulting in his missing fights with combined purses of at least $140,000. But under cross-examination, he admitted fighting several times during the span, a reversal that may have swayed the jury against a large award,
Merly claimed both parties contributed to the dispute.
"There was a lot of nasty language going back and forth," he said. "This was a dispute between two families that turned ugly and got out of hand."
Sitting with his wife and son, Simms got teary after the decision. He left quickly and declined comment other than to say he was "obviously disappointed."
Meanwhile, Travis Simms appeared in court yesterday to face a disorderly conduct charge stemming from an arrest at his home in Norwalk, Conneticut on Wednesday afternoon. He was arrested following a domestic incident with his wife, who claims the fighter threw coffee on her. The case was postponed till October for reports.
Simms' lawyer John Thygerson said his man "will be vindicated" and stated the champion's arrest was indicative of what normally happens when police are called to domestic disturbances.
Simms and his wife have been married for more than 15 years and have two children.
A civil court jury levelled the fine against Wilfred and Michelle Chaisson yesterday, and a judge tacked on the other measures.
Simms sued the Chaissons in December 2001, nine months after they were convicted and sentenced to two years' probation for harassing the Simms family.
Simms' attorney Stuart Katz said the racial slurs began shortly after the Simmses moved into their home in October 1999. A dispute over a shared driveway mushroomed into daily taunts from Michelle Chaisson against the Simms children, and threats to kill their dog.
The attorney also said the Chaissons hung a Confederate flag in their garage and threw darts at a black mask facing the Simmses' house.
The Chaissons' attorney, Joseph Merly, called the $11,040 penalty a win because it could have been much larger.
"My clients were vindicated," he said. "Wilfred Chaisson said that he would sleep well tonight for the first time in years."
Tarvis Simms, also a pro boxer, said he stopped fighting for four years in fear of leaving his family alone, resulting in his missing fights with combined purses of at least $140,000. But under cross-examination, he admitted fighting several times during the span, a reversal that may have swayed the jury against a large award,
Merly claimed both parties contributed to the dispute.
"There was a lot of nasty language going back and forth," he said. "This was a dispute between two families that turned ugly and got out of hand."
Sitting with his wife and son, Simms got teary after the decision. He left quickly and declined comment other than to say he was "obviously disappointed."
Meanwhile, Travis Simms appeared in court yesterday to face a disorderly conduct charge stemming from an arrest at his home in Norwalk, Conneticut on Wednesday afternoon. He was arrested following a domestic incident with his wife, who claims the fighter threw coffee on her. The case was postponed till October for reports.
Simms' lawyer John Thygerson said his man "will be vindicated" and stated the champion's arrest was indicative of what normally happens when police are called to domestic disturbances.
Simms and his wife have been married for more than 15 years and have two children.