Superior,
they
said,
never
gives
up
her
dead
when
the
gales
of
November
come
early,
but
apparently
it
does
give
up
its
life
preservers
when
the
police
misconduct
settlements
of
October
come
on
time.
Half
a
century
on
from
the
wreck
of
the
Edmund
Fitzgerald,
the
legend
has
managed
to
get
just
a
little
weirder,
but
this
time
in
the
form
of
a
litigation
settlement
that
has
exactly
nothing
to
do
with
the
ship.
The
state
is
paying
$600,000
to
settle
claims
brought
by
Larry
Orr,
who
sued
alleging
violations
of
his
rights
as
part
of
a
discredited
sexual
abuse
allegation.
But
even
more
surprising
than
law
enforcement
failing
to
hide
behind
qualified
immunity,
is
the
guest
starring
role
of
a
life
preserver
from
the
famous
vessel
that
washed
ashore.
Orr
owned
one
of
the
orange
rings
and
had
entertained
some
plans
to
auction
it
as
part
of
the
50th
anniversary
remembrance
of
the
disaster.
Instead,
as
part
of
the
deal,
Orr
is
getting
$600,000
from
the
state
and
handing
over
the
ring.
Why
would
the
beneficiary
of
the
settlement
hand
over
anything?
That’s
a
great
question!
According
to
Orr’s
lawyer,
the
police
officer’s
attorney
knew
that
Orr
owned
the
artifact
and
randomly
raised
the
prospect
of
throwing
it
into
the
deal.
“Are
we
at
a
mediation
for
a
wrongful
prosecution
or
an
estate
sale?”
Smith
said
she
wondered
in
the
AP
article.
But
these
misgivings
weren’t
enough
to
keep
the
deal
from
getting
done.
Though
maybe
they
should
have.
Given
that
the
life
ring
is
worth
roughly
$300,000,
its
inclusion
in
the
deal
certainly
makes
this
feel
like
a
$300,000
settlement
with
Orr
along
with
a
$300,000
payment
for
a
piece
of
personal
property
disguised
as
a
settlement
of
claims.
Since
litigation
settlements
would
enjoy
tax
benefits,
this
maritime
deal
seems
very…
fishy.
Hence
the
state’s
spokesperson,
upon
learning
about
the
deal,
expressed
healthy
skepticism:
The
Associated
Press
reached
out
to
the
state
police
this
week
to
try
to
learn
why
it
wanted
the
life
ring
and
who
had
authorized
Lt.
David
Busacca’s
attorney
to
bargain
for
it.
“Upon
learning
the
details
of
the
settlement,
we
are
not
comfortable
with
the
life
preserver
being
included
and
will
be
reaching
out
to
Mr.
Orr’s
attorney,”
spokesperson
Shanon
Banner
said
in
an
email
Thursday.
Perhaps
there’s
some
better
explanation
for
this,
and
the
state
appears
poised
to
get
to
the
bottom
of
this.
Joe
Patrice is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law
and
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of
Thinking
Like
A
Lawyer.
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