New Orleans - A New Orleans jury says Dell and others are responsible for a conspiracy against two local technology companies.
Although the jury did not award as much money as Southern Electronics and Active Solutions had hoped, the plaintiff's still consider the $16.3 million verdict a big win.
"It's a conspiracy conclusion that he was involved with a conspiracy with a Fortune 100 company and others to unfairly compete with our clients," said plaintiff's attorney Glad Jones.
The jury didn't find the defendants liable on every count but Dell and others are responsible for unfair trade practices and breech of contract.
"I can't say it's a fair verdict. I think it's one that we agree with parts of where they found in our favor and disagree with the parts where they didn't," said Dell attorney Phil Wittmann.
Former city technology chief Greg Meffert and a company owned by city contractor Mark St. Pierre are also liable for interfering with the plaintiff's city crime camera contract.
The verdict may end up being especially damaging to Meffert who is also the focus of a federal criminal investigation.
"When Greg Meffert took the stand certainly the prosecutors on Camp Street were very excited. I know that they reopened the grand jury and called witnesses in, I think, to confirm what he said," said Fox 8 legal analyst Joe Raspanti.
Meffert released a bitter statement that said in part:
"This verdict and trial attest to the injustice of a politically-motivated newspaper partnering with profit-driven plaintiff lawyers. This unholy alliance destroyed my reputation and my ability to make a living for my family; clearly, the justice system can be manipulated in the name of money and politics."
Plaintiff's attorneys say their clients got more than money.
"My clients sent me in here to do this, to uncover what was a bad scenario in the city of New Orleans with regard to the crime cameras and that's been unfolded so we can't be disappointed about that," said Jones.
The jury found the city partly at fault for unfair trade practices. But a statement released by the City Attorney's Office says the city is not responsible for paying any portion of the judgment.
