Trial Delayed for Family of Local 9/11 Victim

Although the tragic events of 9/11 happened nearly a decade ago, the family of a local 9/11 victim continues to fight for the loved one they lost.

Recently, the Bavis family, who lost Newton resident Mark Bavis on United Airlines Flight 175, recently received word that their case against United Airlines has been delayed in federal district court.

Bavis was a hockey scout for Los Angeles Kings and was traveling to the west coast when the plane he was on crashed into the second tower on Sept. 11, 2011. A Voices of September 11 memorial page dedicated to Bavis includes information about the Mark Bavis Leadership Foundation and details about him as a star on the Boston University hockey team in the mid-90s. There is a memorial box in Bavis' name at the BU Agganis Arena.

According to information on the media site for the family's attorneys, Motley Rice, the case alleges that "United Airlines and other defendants are liable for gross negligence in connection with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks."

However, a statement released last week said the case, which was initially set for a date of July 13, 2011, has been delayed.

The statement from the Bavis family is below:

The news of yet another delay of this trial is not completely surprising to our family, but does leave us disappointed in the lack of our ability to have an expedient trial in a case that has been almost ten years in the making. It has felt on many days throughout the last 9 years that certain powers in this nation are set on closing the book on their version of September11, 2001.  For a key defendant to be dismissed after nine years of litigation and before the completion of all discovery is very troubling. Such is the case of the potential dismissal of Massport.

Our family is patient and determined to pursue a day in court where all of the facts can see the light of day; for our family, for the families of all of the September 11th victims and just as importantly for the American people. Our desire is to see that the seriousness of this case and the national and historical importance is heard fairly and thoroughly, and not subjected to a timed trial, where the outcome is determined by a stop watch rather than the facts.

According to an April article in the New York Times, Federal District Court Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein set a time limit to the Bavis vs. United Airlines trial, saying that it would only last a month and that each side would get equal hours to present its case.