Dust Cover Copy for The Prisoner's Dilemma (news) with Mel Hathorn on AuthorsDen

My new novel, The Prisioner's Dilemma is nearing completion. Below is a proposed dust cover copy for the book jacket.

DUST COVER COPY FOR PRISONER’S DILEMMA

When twenty-five fifth-graders are killed by the negligence of a large corporation, their parents decide to sue Mighty Meadows Land Development. They quickly learn that they could not get justice from the corporation. To add insult to injury, they are offered a miniscule settlement which, if refused, will force the organization to declare bankruptcy and restructure itself. In addition, the top executives plan to leave the company with golden handshakes in the form of stock options, bonuses and buyouts worth millions.

The angry parents decide to sue those officers they feel were responsible for killing their children. In a press conference they announce that they are suing, "these individuals (The CEO, CFO, and other top officers) for $15 million each. We are also filing suit against the Board of Directors of Mighty Meadows for $10 million each. Additionally, we will be seeking $8 million in damages from all stockholders who hold 12 percent or more of Mighty Meadows shares."

Their decision to sue officers rather than the corporation itself is based on an obscure 1886 Supreme Court Case, Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad. This decision declared that corporations were persons and allowed the corporation to bear the full responsibility for harmful decisions made by corporate officers. As a result of that case, corporate officers were protected by the corporate liability shield. This forces the angry parents to seek a reversal of that decision by filing a suit against the CEO of Mighty Meadows.

The parents decide to file their first suit against the CEO of Mighty Meadows. The business community unites to block these upstart parents by using a variety of legal and illegal means. Harassed and facing what appear to be insurmountable obstacles, the parents fight an uphill battle in the media and justice system. The case finally ends in the Supreme Court where the fate of millions could depend on the single swing vote of a Justice.

This provocative novel steeped in controversy will challenge the reader who will never again look at a corporate lawsuit through the same eyes. Based on an intriguing premise, the story will force the reader to realize that something similar could very well happen to them and wonder how the current system should be changed