Reference no: EM132070982

Ben is one of the unknown criminals roving through the mid-Michigan area and committing crimes and creating chaos. Ben loves circus performances because he can hide among the performers to do his evil deeds. The circus comes to CMU and is scheduled to perform at Finch Fieldhouse. Ben cannot wait. He shows up at the late performance on the first night and he is dressed as a circus clown. He patiently awaits the performance of the elephants. Ben knows that the elephants react badly to certain stimuli - especially, if their food has been drugged. (Ben added some very bad things to the elephant's food to make them hyperactive.) As the elephants enter the center ring of the big top, Ben triggers the needed stimuli and the elephants react as expected. They go on a rampage and tear through the tent and stampede across campus. There a number of deaths that result from the chaos, including the deaths of numerous small children and the elderly who were stomped to death by the elephants. The damage to automobiles that are parked in the area is over $500,000 as well as in excess of 1 million in other property damage. This does not include the damages to Finch Fieldhouse and other CMU property. Ben is extremely pleased with himself and is found giggling uncontrollably in the back of the clowns' dressing trailer. Because of his unusual behavior, the police are called. When the police confront Ben, he immediately confesses his involvement. He is actually quite proud of himself. The police arrest Ben and he is eventually convicted of murder by device, a life imprisonment without parole in Michigan. (He is also convicted of animal cruelty.) Taylor is a distraught mommy. She had bought tickets for her six children as a surprise. Unfortunately, all six were stomped to death in the main tent by the raging elephants and people that were fleeing the mayhem. The cost of each child's ticket was $7. Discuss and decide Taylor's rights, if any.