Assault

That is absolutely beyond outrageous. but wait...what am I missing here..what "lawsuit"? you mean for money? what happened to the "steward? and who died and left the Captain et al in charge of a major crime criminal investigation? there are so many unanswered questions on so many levels I wouldn't know where to start. Somehow I think that story is missing "the story"...

I also feel something is missing here. I would like to follow this and read more into it.

Yes...and as Paul Harvey used to say..."and now for the rest of the story..."

It is a bit of a legal dilemma. If the alleged crime occurred in international waters the captain of the ship IS the authority and is the person responsible for investigation and pretty well everything. The captain however does work for the cruise line so is ultimately their responsibility. The problem is that when something occurs outside of territorial waters, other than the captain the only authority that can pursue legal action is the country of convenience that the ship is flagged under.

So we have had this discussion, in depth,, before. Back to the real world..No investigative body is going to go out if its way to get itself involved in what is a no-win situation from the get go. Witnesses, even victims, are now all over the world...the "chain of evidence" which must be maintained pristine, has been butchered beyond belief. Even a law student could defend "clifford" or whatever his name is. Theres nothing left but "the money"...so heres NCL, vulnerable in the USA, and being pursued by alleged victims, also here in the USA, surrounded by lawyers, and courts, and insurance co's also, conveniently here in the USA. And of course, they demand a jury...and of course, the thing is settled, with the usual confidentiality agreement, paid for by the insureds insurance carrier.

What does it mean? well...murder, rape, serious maiming, etc etc, all gets reduced to a dollar amount of damages...just a question of hoping that someone in the process has deep pockets..happens every day, and the cruise lines didn't invent it either. A kid who gets shot while sleeping in her bed by a gangbanger gets squat....an aggrieved passenger on a cruise ship will have lawyers beating a path to her door, especially in a totally outrageous sequence of events like this. Clearly, if one is to be murdered or raped, don't have it happen on the high seas...close to home is better.

Very valid points.