Va. Tech memorial funds to be dispersed

[piedmont]

Source: MSNBC, AP

WASHINGTON - Families of victims in the Virginia Tech massacre would receive larger payments and benefits than originally envisioned under a final proposal for distributing more than $7 million in contributions received by the university.

The proposal by consultant Kenneth Feinberg, who administered the government's victim compensation fund after the Sept. 11 attacks, calls for payments of $180,000 to families of each of the 32 people killed in the April shootings. The initial plan called for payments of $150,000.

Those who survived the attack by student Seung-Hui Cho but were hospitalized more than 10 days would get $90,000, plus free tuition as long as they pursue a degree at Virginia Tech. The initial plan called for $75,000.

"It's always risky to talk about fairness and justice after a tragedy like the April shootings," Feinberg said in an interview. "So I'm not sure families are able or are expected to talk about those in terms of what's just and fair after losing a loved one, but I do think that the program will be effective in at least distributing and providing some degree of financial help."



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20280889/

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Huh-- I'm surprised, given the way the Feds (Bush administration) handled the 9/11 compensation, that they didn't weight it based on the deceased's major.

[Kelvin Mace]

1. I think the word they want in the headline

is "disbursed".

Jeebus these editors are "teh stoopid".

[piedmont]

2. hmm. yeah-- I didn't notice that when I first posted. Glad it wasn't my mistake. nt