By Brandon Ortiz
bortiz@herald-leader.com
Shane Ragland wants a new civil trial in the 1994 shooting death of a University of Kentucky football player because he thinks the $63.3 million verdict against him is excessive.
In a motion filed in Fayette Circuit Court, Ragland’s attorney, David Broderick of Bowling Green, said the jury in the August wrongful death trial acted “under the influence of passion or prejudice or in disregard of the evidence.”
Ragland was sued by the family of Trent DiGiuro, who was slain on Woodland Avenue in July 1994 as he was celebrating his upcoming 21st birthday.
Neither Ragland nor his attorneys attended the trial.
Broderick could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Shane Ragland
DiGiuro’s father, Mike, had a one-word reaction to the news.
“Whatever,” he said.
DiGiuro noted that Ragland had offered to settle the case for $50 million, a largely symbolic offer because he has few assets to his name.
Ragland pleaded guilty last year to second-degree manslaughter.
He was convicted of murder in 2002, but the Kentucky Supreme Court overturned the verdict.
A DiGiuro family attorney, David Pratt of Lexington, said Ragland’s motion isn’t going anywhere because he didn’t show up for the civil trial.
“It doesn’t really make a lot of sense,” Pratt said. “If they don’t really intend to pay any of it to begin with, then what difference does it make?”
The motion does not state whether Ragland would appear at a second civil trial.
How much more money and time needs to be spent on this cold blooded killer!!
If Ragland really cared about the verdict, he would have shown up for the trial in the first place.
The courts have established what Ragland was and is. They’re just quibbling over the price.
He should have attended the trial if he wanted a say so in the matter
Ragland’s failure to attend the first civil trial indicates clearly his contempt for the legal process. In my way of thinking, at that point he forfeited any right to further hearings. $63 million? $50 million? $10 billion? what difference does it make? He obviously does not intend to pay and no amount of money can even the score for the life he admits he took. Oh, I forgot, I think he now says that he lied under oath when he admitted the murder. Or did he lie when he said he lied? It’s a shell game that shows that you can get away with murder if you have enough pull and money.
Who is paying the lawyers if he has no money?
He needs to pay the lawyer money on his debt.
I think he is mocking the court and the DiGiuro family because he “got away” with killing Trent.
The time will come when Mr.Ragland will be before a judge that will know the entire truth and will render his verdict accordingly, there will be no appeal available in that court, I hope he is shown the same exact amount of mercy that he has shown this grieving family.
This boy is going to be in big trouble then, and for eternity.
How about just throw his ass in the electric chair.. sounds like a damn good way to deal with him.
Shows what a SCUMBAG he and his family are, Ragland is a murderer!
I hope the courts deny his request.
For a person who claims he has no money.
WHY WORRY!!
It’s a shame to waste the courts time with this trash.
He should be hung and forgotten.
The courts should hear5 no more arguments from him or his ?lawyers.
They the ?lawyers are just trying to get all the money they can.
These?lawyers are no better than the ones being tried over and over on court.
Guess they’ll start advertising on tv next.
Birds of a feather.
He should be made to work in prison for 1 dollar a day the rest of his life and pay it to the family of the victim. Everyone in there should be made to do that, instead of getting away with playing cards and lifting weights! MAKE THEM PAY!! just my thoughts! god bless trents family!
The Raglands are true trash. Would love to see them suffer. I know they will get what is coming to them eventually but it won’t happen soon enough for me…His dad is a ral piece of work….Good job dad. I hope you are proud of what you have raised…A lying murderous piece of scum. Just like daddy.
Ragland was released to “home incarceration” between criminal trials. He eventually made a guilty plea and was given credit for “time served” in “home incarceration.” Why hasn’t anybody investigated how he was able to go to Frankfort restaurants during the time he was supposed to be incarcerated at home? He also spent a good bit of time on the river during this period, but I guess he was “at home” there.
Justice has just been served in the Mel Ignatow case. Shane should make sure his parents remove all the glass tables from their house or karma may bite him too.
I sincerely hope that the courts provide Shane Ragland with a strongly worded statement that a confessed murderer who doesn’t bother to defend himself in a civil suit deserves no reconsideration of that civil suit.
I think it is time that people start investigating the source of Shane’s money, namely his father. I’m guessing that Shane’s attitude that laws don’t apply to him didn’t just spring up overnight. What would happen if people started to dig into Jerry Ragland’s connections and contracts? And what would happen to Shane if that source of money suddenly disappeared?
Really? I mean really he’s still crying? Someone get this baby a pacifier! Please I’m sick of seeing him squirm out of everything! Hey Mr. Ragland spend your money on charity instead of this lost cause!
the justice system has to stop letting money buy there way out. what does it make the people serving time feel about justice. whats fair about this a rich murderer or a poor murderer its got to stop
shane ragland has been punished for his crimes.the court dished out what they saw fit.everyone knows 63 million dollars was to much money to award the family of the victim.the victim was a bully who also made shane raglands life miserable while at UofK.I HEAR NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THAT.he should’nt have died for it but he did so lets move on.
Exactly how has he been punished for his crimes, his original sentence was 30 years with parole after 12. As for Raglands life being made miserable! And DiGiuro “should’nt have died”, your argument is specious
He was MURDERED there is a difference and it should not be just swept under the carpet and forgot about.