Posted on October 30th, 2008 7:59pm by Wick Allison
Filed under Law
The plaintiffs’ attorney and major Democratic donor died this afternoon. Our condolences to his family and colleagues.
15 comments
I believe that Fred Baron and Lisa Blue are also regular benefactors to many community, arts and performing arts organizations. He will be missed by more than just the politicos.
It’s too bad the experimental treatment failed.
@ 10:51 pm on October 30, 2008
I will never forget the subversive kindness Fred Baron showed to the residents of West Dallas and myself in the late 1980’s.
Six years after Fred’s lawsuits and then the government caused it to stop doing business across the street from Dallas Public Housing, the RSR lead smelter itself still sat there on Hampton contaminating countless families.
We were trying to get it cleaned-up but were just getting started. Nobody then knew how badly the neighborhood was still being contaminated. Nobody knew about the millions of pounds worth of lead “slag piles” strewn across West Dallas. Nobody knew it was a federal Superfund Site waiting to be listed.
But because he had represented children whose minds had been robbed by RSR, Fred knew what a nightmare lead was in West Dallas. And he had heard what we were trying to do about the site’s dangerous leftovers.
Out of the blue he called me for an appointment. We had never met before. He quizzed me about my RSR work and I guess I passed because to my surprise I walked out his office with a list of the families he had represented in West Dallas. These were supposed to be kept from the public because of a confidentiality agreement with RSR. There was a court order.
He could have gotten in trouble and had nothing to gain in letting us have those names. There were no large class action cases to be mined at the time. But he knew the information would help us organize against the still on-going RSR lead pollution in West Dallas.
Fred would be the first to tell you there are limitations to what the law alone can do – often the status quo needs to be prodded into action outside of the courtroom. We were doing the prodding. He wanted to help.
Thanks again Fred.
@ 12:20 am on October 31, 2008
Unfortunately for him his career decisions also provided a sweet comeuppance as the institutions which served as his targets and source of fortune were his only hope. While their efforts came too late one must wonder about the motivation of the professionals tasked with saving him, the same professionals who saw their premiums skyrocket and their professionalism questioned as the result of his handiwork. Good riddance from the MD community.
@ 1:34 am on October 31, 2008
@ MD – Mr. Baron’s case wins were determined by judges and juries, his representation of plaintiffs was supreme enough to carry the day. He was not the cause of premiums skyrocketing and questioned professionalism, for every case there was an injured party that others agreed deserved compensation.
Perhaps in your MD world you would prefer being considered a God, untouchable, but I don’t think you speak for the entire “MD Community”.
Try and have a nicer day.
@ 7:12 am on October 31, 2008
MD,
Is that really something you want to say publicly about someone? Someone with a wife and children? How sad.
Blessings and Peace to Lisa and family.
@ 7:13 am on October 31, 2008
Regardless of how you feel about the man’s politics or actions, cancer is a heinous and horrible way to die. Imagine knowing there’s an ax murderer in your house, and running from room to room, trying everything you can think of (and the 911 operator on the phone with you) as you run from room to room, trying to escape him, but eventually tiring, running out of options, and dying.
Now imagine trying to do that while attempting to keep the carnage from affecting your family too badly.
Regardless of how you feel about someone, good riddance is a horrible thing to say about a man with a family.
Are you very sure nobody will say the same about you when you go?
@ 7:32 am on October 31, 2008
I smell deleted comments in our future.
Prayers to Mr. Baron’s family.
I wish the treatment had been a panacea, but kudos to the family for fighting the good fight. Hopefully there will be some beneficial medical data from this off formulary use of the drig.
@ 8:00 am on October 31, 2008
Comapring dying of cancer to dying at the hands on an ax murderer hardly seems like a good comparison. But it is Halloween and it’s not every day you get to reference an ax murderer.
IJS
@ 8:23 am on October 31, 2008
Well, I almost said Karl Rove, but ax murderer was the second-scariest thing I could think of.
the other “MD” and I have very different sentiments on this matter.
R.I.P.
defending one’s semi-anonymous blog identity is today’s sign of obnoxiousness. I am sorry.
@ 9:23 am on October 31, 2008
MD also seems to suggest that he wouldn’t be surprised if professionals in his own field — medicine — would deliberately let a man die, essentially murder him, out of personal ill-will.
Standing by that statement, are you, MD?
@ 9:55 am on October 31, 2008
MD/Daniel:
Please don’t stir the pot. There are plenty of other posts where we can engage in spirited debate. Let’s let this one be a place for remembrances and condolences. Please.
@ 10:01 am on October 31, 2008
Fair enough, Switzerland. May Fred Baron’s family know peace in their time of loss.
@ 10:17 am on October 31, 2008
I read your blog for quite a long time and should tell that your articles always prove to be of a high value and quality for readers.
@ 1:04 pm on April 15, 2009
FrontBurner® launched in March 2003, the first blog in Dallas run by a media organization. This is where the editors of D Magazine come to waste a tremendous amount of time.
15 comments
I believe that Fred Baron and Lisa Blue are also regular benefactors to many community, arts and performing arts organizations. He will be missed by more than just the politicos.
It’s too bad the experimental treatment failed.
I will never forget the subversive kindness Fred Baron showed to the residents of West Dallas and myself in the late 1980’s.
Six years after Fred’s lawsuits and then the government caused it to stop doing business across the street from Dallas Public Housing, the RSR lead smelter itself still sat there on Hampton contaminating countless families.
We were trying to get it cleaned-up but were just getting started. Nobody then knew how badly the neighborhood was still being contaminated. Nobody knew about the millions of pounds worth of lead “slag piles” strewn across West Dallas. Nobody knew it was a federal Superfund Site waiting to be listed.
But because he had represented children whose minds had been robbed by RSR, Fred knew what a nightmare lead was in West Dallas. And he had heard what we were trying to do about the site’s dangerous leftovers.
Out of the blue he called me for an appointment. We had never met before. He quizzed me about my RSR work and I guess I passed because to my surprise I walked out his office with a list of the families he had represented in West Dallas. These were supposed to be kept from the public because of a confidentiality agreement with RSR. There was a court order.
He could have gotten in trouble and had nothing to gain in letting us have those names. There were no large class action cases to be mined at the time. But he knew the information would help us organize against the still on-going RSR lead pollution in West Dallas.
Fred would be the first to tell you there are limitations to what the law alone can do – often the status quo needs to be prodded into action outside of the courtroom. We were doing the prodding. He wanted to help.
Thanks again Fred.
Unfortunately for him his career decisions also provided a sweet comeuppance as the institutions which served as his targets and source of fortune were his only hope. While their efforts came too late one must wonder about the motivation of the professionals tasked with saving him, the same professionals who saw their premiums skyrocket and their professionalism questioned as the result of his handiwork. Good riddance from the MD community.
@ MD – Mr. Baron’s case wins were determined by judges and juries, his representation of plaintiffs was supreme enough to carry the day. He was not the cause of premiums skyrocketing and questioned professionalism, for every case there was an injured party that others agreed deserved compensation.
Perhaps in your MD world you would prefer being considered a God, untouchable, but I don’t think you speak for the entire “MD Community”.
Try and have a nicer day.
MD,
Is that really something you want to say publicly about someone? Someone with a wife and children? How sad.
Blessings and Peace to Lisa and family.
Regardless of how you feel about the man’s politics or actions, cancer is a heinous and horrible way to die. Imagine knowing there’s an ax murderer in your house, and running from room to room, trying everything you can think of (and the 911 operator on the phone with you) as you run from room to room, trying to escape him, but eventually tiring, running out of options, and dying.
Now imagine trying to do that while attempting to keep the carnage from affecting your family too badly.
Regardless of how you feel about someone, good riddance is a horrible thing to say about a man with a family.
Are you very sure nobody will say the same about you when you go?
I smell deleted comments in our future.
Prayers to Mr. Baron’s family.
I wish the treatment had been a panacea, but kudos to the family for fighting the good fight. Hopefully there will be some beneficial medical data from this off formulary use of the drig.
Comapring dying of cancer to dying at the hands on an ax murderer hardly seems like a good comparison. But it is Halloween and it’s not every day you get to reference an ax murderer.
IJS
Well, I almost said Karl Rove, but ax murderer was the second-scariest thing I could think of.
Here’s a link to the article in today’s DMN: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/103108dnmetbaron.164c3b4a4.html
It’s a good piece and a touching tribute.
the other “MD” and I have very different sentiments on this matter.
R.I.P.
defending one’s semi-anonymous blog identity is today’s sign of obnoxiousness. I am sorry.
MD also seems to suggest that he wouldn’t be surprised if professionals in his own field — medicine — would deliberately let a man die, essentially murder him, out of personal ill-will.
Standing by that statement, are you, MD?
MD/Daniel:
Please don’t stir the pot. There are plenty of other posts where we can engage in spirited debate. Let’s let this one be a place for remembrances and condolences. Please.
Fair enough, Switzerland. May Fred Baron’s family know peace in their time of loss.
I read your blog for quite a long time and should tell that your articles always prove to be of a high value and quality for readers.