Amusement Park Sued n Woman's Death
BALDWIN: It is back up and running this weekend, the Texas Giant, Six Flags Over Texas reopening that roller coaster just days after a lawsuit was filed over a deadly fall; 52-year-old Rosy Esparza, she was visiting the park back in July when she slipped out of her lap bar going down the roller coaster's first huge hill. The lawsuit says Esparza was upside down, holding on for dear life and then fell 75 feet to her death. CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin is in New York. Sunny, I know that this lawsuit contains some pretty disturbing, is that the right word, details about what exactly Esparza went through. What happened?</s>SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I think certainly that's the right word. This was just a disturbing and horrific death. I have the lawsuit in front of me. It's about 16 pages. And it outlines what exactly happened to Mrs. Esparza. I think what is so terrible about this is that her daughter and son-in-law were in the seats in front of her and could not do anything. They heard her screaming, Brooke. They turned around, and then they saw her upside down, head down, feet up holding on for dear life. And they also witnessed her falling 75 feet. And it took them quite some time to get off the roller coaster ride. They had to continue the ride. They weren't left off immediately -- let off immediately. And all of that is outlined here. I have got to tell you, I read a lot of lawsuits, of course. I read a lot of facts, and this is extremely, extremely disturbing, because it outlines the last moments of someone who was watched by their loved ones die.</s>BALDWIN: Awful, awful, awful. And then you have the lawsuit. So you have read that this suit is accusing Six Flags of putting thrills over safety -- quote -- "building extreme roller coasters that are bigger, faster, and more dangerous," and Six Flags is promoting a new ride. It's called the Drop of Doom. You fall 415 feet, 90 miles per hour. Do you think the family has a good case here?</s>HOSTIN: Well, you know, there are always defenses to these kinds of cases. And this is not the first death that has happened at an amusement park, Brooke. And, unfortunately, I don't think it will be the last, but, of course, the amusement park may argue, listen, when you get on a roller coaster, you are assuming the risk, so to speak. You know that it's a dangerous act. They will also probably argue that, when you get that ticket, on the very back of the ticket, there's all these...</s>BALDWIN: Teeny-tiny print.</s>HOSTIN: ... this legalese on the back, and you know what the dangers are involved. I don't think that will hold water in a case like this. I suspect that this is not a case that will go to trial. This is a case that is ripe for settlement. Six Flags doesn't need us to talk about it. I'm sure they don't want us to talk about it. They don't need this kind of publicity. And, so, you know, I do think that the family has a good case here. And I suspect that this is a case that will settle quietly between the family and Six Flags.</s>BALDWIN: You mentioned Six Fags doesn't really want us talking. We should mention we reached out to Six Flags to comment on the lawsuit, and they're not commenting. Sunny Hostin, thank you.