linda simmons v seaworld

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IN THECIRCUIT COURT OF THE EIGHTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FORBREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA LINDA SIMONS, Plarntrff, v Case No SEAWORLD OF FLORIDA LLC,SEA WORLDLLC, SEAWORLD PARKS & ENTERTAINMENT INC , and SEAWORLD PARKS & ENTERTAINMENT LLC, Defendants 5*ou.ft*tt tz zt', UW 9 l$-.Y*xxx-xx -l o9= *i-i-t 'r-ia; -o r---r - iJ r, .1 '- c' r:lt 1'O1-r _I J L'll ht Cf etCn (/t C) lrt -cv ri rrt \ v- I =6 t\) J GOMPLAINT AND DEMAND FORJURYTRIAL JURISDICTION AND VENUE Plarntff, LINDA slMONS, by andthrough herundersrgned counsel, sues Defendants, SEAWoRLD LLC,SEAWORLD PARKS & ENTERTATNMENT, lNc , SEAWORLD PARKS & ENTERTATNMENT LLC, and SEAWORLD oF FLORIDA LLC,(heretnafter referred to as Defendants), and alleges the followrng 1 Thtsts an actton ln excess of the mtnlmum yunsdrctlon of thls Court 2 Plalntrff rsa resrdent of Brevard County 3 Defendant SEAWORLD OF FLORIDA LLC rsa Florrda Corporatron authonzed and dolngbuslness rnthe State of Florrda 4 Defendant SEAWORLD LLC rs a Forergn Corporatron authorzed and dorng busrness rnthe state of Flonda """:j^o^: 2010_cA 0s1145 XXXX )0\ .D.ocumentpaoef , -- " 'r |l|il{'ll|l,lutflliil inl rnn'rn nnr,llt tfit'fi ,ra4 krj

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IN THECIRCUIT COURT THE OF EIGHTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FORBREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA LINDASIMONS, Plarntrff, v

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SEAWORLD FLORIDA OF LLC,SEA WORLDLLC, SEAWORLD PARKS& ENTERTAINMENT , and SEAWORLD INC PARKS& ENTERTAINMENT LLC, Defendants

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5*ou.ft*ttGOMPLAINT AND DEMAND FORJURYTRIAL JURISDICTION VENUE ANDPlarntff, LINDAslMONS,by and through undersrgned her counsel, sues Defendants, SEAWoRLDLLC,SEAWORLD PARKS& ENTERTATNMENT, lNc , SEAWORLD PARKS ENTERTATNMENT and SEAWORLD & LLC, oF FLORIDA LLC,(heretnafter referred as Defendants), alleges followrng to and the 1 2 3 Thtsts an acttonln excessof the mtnlmum yunsdrctlon thls Court of Plalntrff a resrdent Brevard rs of County Defendant SEAWORLD FLORIDA OF LLC rsa Florrda Corporatron

authonzed dolngbuslness the Stateof Florrda and rn 4 Defendant SEAWORLDLLC rs a Forergn Corporatron authorzed 2010_cA " ' r XXXX 0s1145 -)0\

and dorngbusrness the state of Flonda rn

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Defendant SEAWORLD PARKS ENTERTAINMENT, rsa & tNC

Foretgn Corporatron authonzed dorngbusrness the Stateof Florrda and rn 6 Defendant SEAWORLD PARKS& ENTERTATNMENT rs a LLC

Foretgn Corporatlon authonzed dorngbusrness the Stateof Florrda and rn 7 Venuels properrn Brevard Countybecause bulkof the the

damages occurred Brevard rn county Addrtronally, Defendants are headquartered OrangeCounty, Countywhrchrsadlacent Brevard ln a to County, encompassed the Ffth DrstrtctDefendants powerful by are corporatrons whrch part are an rntegral of the OrangeCountyEconomyPlarntrff requtres neutral a venue,suchas Brevard County, orderto havea farrtnal rn

BACKGROUND 8 On February 16th, 2010,Plalntrff hrredby Defendants the was as

Drrector Healthand Safety of 9 On February 24,2010,Defendants' employee, DawnBrancheau,

was krlled an Orca by 10 On February 24,2010,OSHA,a Federal Agency, beganan rn

depthrnvestrgafion 11 Plarntrff asstgned the harson was as between Defendants the and

OSHArnvestrgatlon 12 Plarntrff told by Defendants obstruct lnvestrgatron, was to the

manrpulate documents, wlthhold documents, makewftnesses unavarlable, and

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othertmproprtettes whtchwere unlawful, whena government agencyrsdorngan rnvestlgatron 13 Plalnttff votcedher concerns wrthmanagement refused and to

partrcrpate the rllegal rn actrons whrch weredemanded Defendants by 14 On or aboutApnl22,2010, Plarntrff termrnated, vrolatron was rn of

29 u s c S 660,and F s 448 102(2) and 448 102(g), cooperatrng an for wrth OSHArnvestrgatron 15 16 ln May,2010Plarntff frled OSHAretahatron an complarnt In August 2010,Plarntrff a request arbtratron address frled for to her

employment dtspute tssues, requrred Defendants' as by mandatory arbrtratron program 17 On August23,2010, OSHArnvestrgatron found an report

Defendants haveactedwtthreckless to drsregard humanlrfeand frned for Defendants maxrmum of $70,000 the ftne 00 18 Prtorto the OSHAreportcomrng out,thereweretwo reports that

were berngcontemplated osHA one by the osHA rnvestrgator, by Laura Pagett, and one whrch was craftedby the OSHAAtlantaoffrce Dueto "polrtrcal pressures," osHA Atlanta the offrce and the osHA washrngton offrcegot rnvolved the preparatron the reports rn of 19 Platntff,tn orderto brrng eventsthatweretransprrrng the the to

publrc, decrded truthfully to conveywhatwas occurnng manyformsof the to medra

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on August23,2010, Plarntff appeared GoodMornrng rn Amerrca,

Insrde Edrtron, LarryKrngLrve, and partrcrpated manyotherrntervrews ln 21 On Augustz(,2010,Plarntrff appeared MSNBC also on and Fox

Busrness Network, wellas gave manyotherrntervrews as 22 Addrtpnally, Plarntrff spokewrthmanynewspapers rncrudrng the

chrcago sun, the NewYorkDarly News,orlandosentrnel, manyothers and 23 ln response, Defendants out a masstve set falsePubhcRelatrons

campatgn defameand slanderPlarntrff to 24 All of the acttonable clarms Plarnttff form partof thrs of that

complarnt occurred or afterAugust20, 2010 on 25 Plarntffhas retarned undersrgned the attorney and agreedto pay

hrma reasonable fee

COUNT I DEFAMATORY SLANDER PERSE AND PERQUOD 26 Platnttff realleges tncorporates paragraphs through25 of thrs and 1

Complarnt f set forthrnfull herern as 27 AfterAugust20, 2010Defendants madenumerous falseand

defamatory statements concerntng Plarntrff 28 The slanderous statements were unpnvrleged were made and

pubhc thrrdpartresThe thrrdpartres to rncluded GoodMornrng The Amenca show, LarryKrngLrve,MSNBC, newspapers fromaroundthe world,and many others

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The slanderous statements rnclude Ms Srmons extorttng rs Defendants Platnttff termlnated Defendants to poorperformance was by due Ms Stmons repeatedly demonstrated rnabrlrty conduct an to herself to the acceptable standards competence of Ms Srmons repeatedly demonstrated rnabrlrty conduct an to herself wrthtransparency Ms Srmons repeatedly demonstrated lnabrlrty conductherself an to wtthrntegnty Ms Stmons repeatedly demonstrated rnabrlrty conduct an to herself wrthprofessronahsm Ms Srmons clatms agarnst Defendants false are Ms Srmons brought has uponunfounded charges Ms Stmons askedfor moneyrn exchange not go pubhc wrthher to clarms At the ttmeof the termrnatron, Defendants offeredmoneyto the

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Platnttff exchange Plarntff's tn for srlence and release her clarms Plarntrff of refused srgnthe agreement to 31 Defendants'statements rntentronal mallclous the were In and

alternatrve, were neghgent they 32 The abovestatements defamatory are and/orare suscephble a of

defamatory meantng that they sublect rn Plarntrff hatred, to ndrcule, drstrust, contempt, rrdrcule, obloquy, and drsgrace 33 The abovestatements therrmeantngs falseand and are

Defendants, the trmeof makrng statements, at the knewtheywerefalseor had senousdoubtsas to therrtruth 34 35 The abovestatements assertrons fact,notoptntons are of As a drrect and proxrmate resultof the aboveslanderous

statements, Platntff, LINDA SIMONS, sustarned has pecuntary drrect rndrrect or

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lossrncludrng, not lrmrted lostearnlngs, workrng but to, lost trme,lossof fees, personal busrness, reputatron, growth, and lossof abllrty earn money to Addrtpnally, Plarntff, LINDAslMONS,has sustarned shame, mentar angursh, personal humlhatton, feeltngs, hurt mentalsufferrng, tn1ury reputatron and to and health, the pastand rnthe future All of the abovedamages contrnurng tn are and permanent nature tn 36 Addftronally, a resultof the slanderous as statements, Plarnttff has

beendamagedThe slanderous statements were a drrect attackon Plarntff's professtonal character standrng and Addrtronally, slanderous the statements contatn allegatrons Plarntrff commrtted cnmeof moralturpttude that has a 37 Platnttff entrtled punrtrve ts to damages thrscaseas the above rn

slanderous statements were mademahcrously, wrllfully, wantonly, wrtha and reckless dtsregard the rrghts PlarntrffThe prrmary for purpose makrng of rn the abovestatements to rndulge wrll,hostrlrty to harmthe PlarntrffThe was rll and statements were destgned destroy reputatron Plarntrff Defendants' to the of for pecunlary galn and furtherance therr of falsePubhc Relatrons campatgn the at unlustexpense Plarntrff of 38 Addtttonally, Plarntffrsentrtled rnlunctrve to rehef prevent to

Defendants from conttnurng defamePlarntrff to WHEREFORE Plarntrff, LINDA SIMONS suesthe Defendants for tnluncttve rehef prevent to and stopDefendants fromcontrnurng slander to and defamePlatntff, compensatory punrtrve and damages excessof the mtntmum In

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ltmtts and whrch Jurlsdtcttonal of thrsCourt,pluscosts,rnterest all otherdamages Plarntrff may be entrtled and demandtrralby lury to, COUNT II DEFAMATORY LIBEL 39 Platntlff realleges rncorporates paragraphs through of thrs and 1 38

Complarnt rf set forthrnfull herern as 40 AfterAugust20, 2010Defendant madenumerous falseand

defamatory hbelous wrrtten statements concerntng Plarntrff wnttenforrn rn 41 42 One of the hbelous statements attached Exhrbrt rs as A The ltbelous statements were unprrvrleged were madepubhc and to

thtrdparttesThe thrrdpartres rncluded GoodMornrng The Amerrca Show,Larry KrngLrve,MSNBC, newspapers from aroundthe world,and manyothers 43 a b c d e f g h t 44 The slanderous statements rnclude Ms Srmons extortrng rs Defendants Platntffwas termtnated Defendants to poorperformance by due Ms Stmons repeatedly demonstrated tnabrlrty conduct an to herself to the acceptable standards competence of Ms Srmons repeatedly demonstrated rnabrlrty conduct an to herself wth transparency Ms Stmons repeatedly demonstrated rnabrlrty conduct an to herself wrthrntegrrty Ms Stmons repeatedly demonstrated rnabrlrty conduct an to herself wrthprofessronahsm Ms Srmons clarms agarnst SeaWorld false are Ms Srmons brought has uponunfounded charges Ms Stmons askedfor moneyrn exchange not go pubhc to wrthher clarms Defendants'statements rntentronal malrcrous the were and ln

alternatrve, were neglrgent they

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The abovewnttenstatements defamatory are and/orare

susceptrble a defamatory of meanlng thattheysublectPlarntrff hatred, In to drstrust, rrdrcule, obloquy, contempt, dlsgrace and 46 The abovewnttenstatements therrmeantngs false,and and are

Defendants, the trmeof maktng wnttenstatements, at the knewthey werefalse or had senousdoubtsas to therrtruth 47 o p r n l o ns 48 As a drrect and proxrmate resultof the abovehbelous statements, The abovewrrttenstatements an assertron facts, not are of

Platntff, LINDASIMONS, sustarned pecunlary has drrect rndrrect or loss rncludrng, not hmfted lostearntngs, workrng but to, lost trme,lossof fees, personal growth, busrness, reputatron, and lossof abrlrty earn money to Addrtronally, Plarntff, LINDASIMONS, sustarned has mental shame, angursh, personal humrhatron, feehngs, hurt mentalsufferrng, rn;ury reputatron and to and health,ln the pastand rn the future All of the abovedamages contrnurng are and permanent nature rn 49 Addtttonallyr a resultof the ltbelous as statements, Plarntffhas

beendamagedThe hbelous statements were a drrect attackon Plarntlffs professtonal character standrngAddrtronally, hbelous and the statements contaln allegatrons Plarntrff commrtted cnmeof moralturprtude that has a 50 Platnttff entrtled punftrve rs to damages thrscaseas the above rn

Irbelous statements were mademahcrously, wrllfully, wantonly, wrtha and reckless dtsregard the rrghts PlarntrffThe prrmary for purpose maklng of rn the

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abovestatements to rndulge was rllwrll, hostrlrty to harmthe PlarntlffThe and wrttten statements weredesrgned destroy reputatron Plarntrff to the of for pecuntary Defendants' garnand furtherance therrfalsePubhcRelattons of campatgn the unlustexpense Plarntrff at of WHEREFORE Plarntrff, LINDASIMONS suesthe Defendants for tnluncttve reltef, compensatory punrtrve and damages excessof the mtntmum tn ltmtts thrsCourt,pluscosts,rnterest, all otherdamages of and whrch lunsdtcttonal Plarntffmay be entrtled and demandtnal by lury to,

DEMAND FORJURY TRIAL Plarntrff demands Jury on all rssues a trral herern tnable by.lury DATED thrs3l st dayof August, 2010ARCADIER ASSOCIATES, A & P

Maurrce Arcadrer, Esqu Florrda No 131180 Bar Attorneys Plarntrff for2815W NewHaven Ave,#304 W Melbourne, Flonda32904 Phone (321)953-5998 Fax (321)953-6075

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