Former Bellagio dealer settles with casino over slashing
A former Bellagio blackjack dealer whose face was slashed by a co-worker has settled a lawsuit against the casino after several days of trial.
Joyce Rhone, who has been unable to work since the attack, was seeking $1.7 million in lost wages, along with an undisclosed amount for pain and suffering she has endured since December 2012. The amount of the settlement was not revealed.
“Joyce’s pain and suffering still goes on for the rest of her life,” said her attorney, Harold Gewerter. “She’s going through a living hell that’s not going to stop anytime soon or ever. No money could ever compensate whatever that is. We came to something that was legally reasonable. We have finality, and finality is very healthy for Joyce.”
Rhone, who had worked at the Bellagio since it opened in 1998, testified earlier this week that she feels “like a monster,” has trouble being around people and still undergoes psychological treatment.
“My face hurts. It trembles,” Rhone, with a long scar across her right cheek, told jurors. “And it’s not the one I was born with. … I died that night. Physically, yes, I’m still here, but mentally, no, I’m not the same person I was.”
In February 2013, Rhone filed a lawsuit against the casino and her attacker, Brenda Stokes, who is serving a life sentence in prison.
Earlier this year, Stokes, 53, pleaded guilty to slashing Rhone and killing 10-year-old Jade Morris.
Authorities said Stokes kidnapped the girl the same night she attacked Rhone at a blackjack table. Stokes mistakenly believed Rhone had started dating Jade’s father.
Rhone suffered deep cuts to her forehead and right side of her face.
The woman earned roughly $80,000 a year as a dealer, according to her attorneys. After the attack, she incurred nearly $200,000 in medical bills.
Gina Mushmeche, a lawyer for the Bellagio, told jurors that the casino was not responsible for Stokes’ actions.
The assault lasted only four seconds, and security was on the scene within a minute, Mushmeche said in opening statements.
Of the agreement reached Wednesday, MGM Resorts International spokeswoman Mary Hynes said, “The lawsuit has been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.”
Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find @randompoker on Twitter.
