LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia jury has awarded $8.6 million to the family of a stuntman killed during the production of a “Walking Dead” episode in 2017.
The Daily Report reports the verdict Thursday comes after a weeklong trial before Gwinnett County State Court Judge Emily Brantley. Jurors began deliberations late Tuesday and handed up the verdict shortly before 6 p.m.
Lawyers for defendants AMC and production company Stalwart Films had argued that John Bernecker’s death in a fall from a balcony during a staged fight was an unforeseen accident that happened when the trained stuntman missed a landing pad 25 feet (7.62 meters) below. They said AMC Networks was not found to be negligent as part of the verdict.
Bernecker’s parents, Susan and Hagen Bernecker, sued AMC, Stalwart and several other defendants involved in the show’s production, claiming they skimped on safety measures for financial and scheduling concerns.
In a statement, plaintiffs attorney Jeffrey Harris said the 33-year-old “was a remarkably talented stunt professional who had an incredibly bright future in the film industry. My sincere hope is this verdict sends a clear message regarding the need to both elevate and strictly adhere to industry safety standards every day, on every shoot, on every film set.