Michigan survivor of Las Vegas mass shooting talks about MGM lawsuit

(WJBK) - Fifty-eight people were killed, more than 500 hurt outside of the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas on Oct. 1. 

Now the MGM, which manages that hotel is trying to counter the lawsuits against it, they are hoping a federal court will look at these lawsuits and invoke a law that went into effect after 9/11 to shield off the legal battle.

"Like I've told you in the past, Roop, at this point no answer is good enough," said Lee Dorchak, one of the shooting survivors. "And it will not be good enough for any of us."
 
Dorchak, from Warren, was one of the country music fans who was shot on Oct. 1. The gunman was Stephen Paddock who also killed himself, the motive for his attack, unknown.

The bullet scars are left on Dorchak's leg - but the other scars run deeper.  Like salt to the wounds, the news that MGM, the parent company of the Mandalay Bay hotel, is preparing a defense against the more than 100 victims who are suing.
  
It is a defense drafted by MGM. In a statement they are asking that the federal court take up the issue of whether they are liable for the deaths and injuries.  MGM released a statement saying,

"All we are doing, in effect, is asking for a change in venue from state to federal court. We are not asking for money or attorney's fees. We only want to resolve these cases quickly, fairly and efficiently."

They are hoping the federal court will look at something that was used after the 9/11 attacks. The federal law they want to use would essentially say the security company they used was approved by Homeland Security and therefore they are not liable. 
 
"MGM wants to make sure it's security company, which was approved by Homeland Security," said Charlie Langton, FOX 2 legal analyst. "If that is the case, then MGM may not have any responsibility if this is a terrorist act."

FOX 2: "Many media outlets have been saying this is a lawsuit that MGM is filing against the victims.  That's not the case?"

"No, that's not it at all," Langton said. "The insurance companies that represent MGM and the lawyers, want to say 'If we are responsible, fine. But, if the law doesn't allow the victims to sue us, we want to allow the victims to sue us, 

For Lee Dorchak, all of the legal posturing to protect MGM doesn't take into account the pain still sharply felt 10 months later. 

"There's kids without moms and dads, there are husbands and wives without their significant others," he said. "And it's one of those things where can you really put a dollar tag on it?

"What they're trying to do is say, 'Listen we don't have any liability in this. Let's get all these cases thrown out against us and let's move on.'

"Well it's not that easy."