“A lawsuit is a fruit tree planted in a lawyer’s garden.” —Italian Proverb
William Jasmin of Manchester, the drunk, non-licensed hunter who sued a landowner following his own demise in falling from a tree stand, has dropped his lawsuit.
Jasmin suffered partial paralysis when the tree stand he attempted to enter failed, causing him to fall. Jasmin initially proffered in his original pleadings that he was “hunting” but in August amended his pleadings to assert that he was, “scouting.” while present on the land owned by Charlie Corliss, of Epsom,
Jasmin friend Randy Howe had said Corliss had given them permission to use the tree stand, however, Jasmin’s lawyer now asserts the friend had spoke to someone else who mistakenly believed it was on his property.
This very case stirred concerns and tensions within the hunting community that farmers, foresters and other large landowners might potentially close their property to hunting and other recreational uses, for fear they could be potentially held liable for recreational injuries.
Jasmin’s lawyer B.J. Branch, told The Associated Press, “this suit was never about access to land; The suit was about holding the owner of a defective product accountable.” Baloney! This suit was about William Jasmin finding the deepest possible pockets to compensate him for his own failures to act responsibly, ethically and within the laws of this state. And, while doing this, he was willing and ready to throw the entire hunting community under the bus. Eighty percent of all available hunting land is private property in New Hampshire. Clearly, this lawsuit became about access.
William Jasmin was drunk. Medical records showed that he had a blood alcohol concentration of .16 three hours after his injuries, MORE THAN DOUBLE the legal limit. William Jasmin was not a licensed hunter. Scouting is a precursor activity to “hunting.” His assertion after the fact that he was “scouting” is less than credible, if at all. William Jasmin had no business entering that tree stand, as it was not his. It is clear to see its’ ownership is still not well established and any person that has taken hunter education knows never to use such a stand.
No matter which way he came at this issue to try and shake down Charlie Corliss, He wasn’t just shaking Charlie down, he was shaking the entire hunting community down. William Jasmin gave us all a black eye and painted us in a very negative light. He so richly deserves our scorn for that. But in some small measure, this suit was instructive, causing the many of us to visit our current laws at the legislative level. For that we have him to thank so that other scumbags such as him will think twice before bringing such a frivolous lawsuit.
