3

TruthOrFiction writes:

Shawn Lucas served the DNC and Debbie Wasserman Shultz with a lawsuit alleging “fraud and other claims” on July 3, 2016. You can watch a video of him serving the DNC here. About a month later, Lucas died ...

Is this an accurate description of what happened?

Christian
  • 33,271
  • 15
  • 112
  • 266
  • 4
    I am not really sure what this question is about, or why it is interesting. "suddenly and unexpectedly" are subjective terms, so non-factual. The claim itself says "claims about the death are unproven". – Sklivvz Aug 16 '16 at 11:29
  • I think what you mean to ask is whether the death is suspicious. – PointlessSpike Aug 16 '16 at 13:16
  • 1
    Removed the subjective bits. Claims don't need to be interesting. http://meta.skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/3626/can-we-make-a-community-decision-regarding-an-interestingness-consequence-relev –  Aug 16 '16 at 14:22
  • But they're more fun when they are ... –  Aug 16 '16 at 16:58
  • 6
    What "serving" means should be pointed out here. A process server (what he did) does not generate, craft, or even necessarily know anything about the papers they serve. It's like being the paperboy. So sure, he died later, but going along with @Sklivvz 's point, there's nothing in that to be skeptical about. – rougon Aug 16 '16 at 19:15
  • @rougon: That's an excellent point. Indeed, it seems as though the claim is hoping people misunderstand "serve" as meaning "accuse". The running theme of this series of claims is to insinuate that various people were killed because they knew too much. A process server would not be likely to have any secret knowledge; they could read the papers they were serving (though probably are not supposed to) but that would just be a copy of the suit, which is a public record anyway. – Nate Eldredge Aug 17 '16 at 15:04
  • The claim seems to be that someone took part in some legal process and later died. But every year, millions of people take part in a legal process and every year millions of people die. It is completely expected, unremarkable and uninteresting that these two groups have a small overlap. How is this notable? – RedGrittyBrick Aug 21 '16 at 10:04

1 Answers1

5

As part of their motion to dismiss, the DNC et al. say (internal citations removed):

On July 6, 2016, Plaintiffs filed affidavits of service of process, in which Shawn Lucas and Brandon Yoshimura of One Source Process, Inc. claim to have served Rebecca Christopher (described by the affidavits as a “Creative Strategist”) with process for both the DNC and its Chair at 1:30 p.m. on July 1st. In fact, the person with whom Mr. Lucas and Mr. Yoshimura interacted was not Ms. Christopher, but a different DNC employee named Rebecca Herries.

The allegations were "fraud", "negligent misrepresentation", violation of the D.C. Consumer Protection Act, "unjust enrichment", "breach of fiduciary duty", and "negligence".

Snopes confirmed with Washington D.C. Metro Police and Shawn's employer that he died on on August 2.

  • 1
    in other words: yes... – jwenting Aug 16 '16 at 17:33
  • @jwenting Maybe. All I can report is what other people have said. Whether that is sufficient evidence to warrant a "yes" is up to you to decide. –  Aug 16 '16 at 17:34
  • 1
    Oh, we can say he died. NOT that he died ",under suspicious circumstances" or lay blame to Clinton (which is the obvious intent) even if he did. – jwenting Aug 19 '16 at 12:14
  • 4
    Why would you even bother to kill a process server? May as well shoot the mailman. – mxyzplk Aug 20 '16 at 02:39
  • 3
    @mxyzplk - Do you know how many mailmen have died, over the years, after they delivered mail to the Clintons? Or how many postal workers who are now dead sorted or handled pieces of mail addressed to the Clintons, from the Clintons, or sent to the White House or the federal government when the Clintons served in the White House and/or Senate? You'd best keep quiet, if you value your own well-being...... IJS...... – PoloHoleSet Dec 20 '16 at 15:29