Michael David Weiss

Michael "Mike" David Weiss (1967 – 2 October 1999) was an American lawyer. Born in Cleveland, he grew up in Houston.^[1] He began a class-action lawsuit against hospital syringe distributors in America, in the hope of protecting nurses from accidental syringe sticks; speculation exists that his efforts lead to his untimely, premature death. Chris Evans starred as Weiss in the film Puncture.^[2]

Personal life

Michael Weiss' is the son of Leon Weiss, a well known probate attorney at Reminger,^[3] and Marilou Rippner,^[4] owner of RC Search. Brother, Daniel Robert Weiss,^[5] is Partner and Licensed Texas Manager at McCann Global Investigations.^[6]

Education

Weiss graduated from Bellaire High School in 1985, where he got to know Paul Danziger, who graduated the year before. They participated together in school debates, where Weiss was the team's captain. He was a national merit scholarship semi-finalist.^[7]

Weiss subsequently attended the University of Texas Law School. During his undergraduate years he also studied philosophy for two years at Harvard University and participated as an editor for the Texas Law Review, a student law journal.^[8] He graduated from the University of Texas in 1993, with a special honors in philosophy.^[1][9]

Career and social involvement

Following his graduation, Weiss clerked for Judge Edith Jones of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He also worked with two different law firms. He subsequently co-founded the firm Lawson, Weiss & Danziger, alongside his schoolfriend Paul Danziger. During that time, Weiss worked on different political causes and with various people such as Bruce Hotze and Councilman Rob Todd. He also represented a number of clients in commercial and employment law cases. Together with his associates, Weiss co-chaired two successful whistle-blower cases.^[9]

Weiss also taught as an assistant professor at the University of Houston Law School and South Texas College of Law. He was a Senior Fellow of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Distinguished Fellow of the Texas Justice Foundation, and a member of the Houston City Club.^[1]

Safety syringe case

In 1998, Mike Weiss and Paul Danzinger were approached by an inventor who had trouble selling an auto-retractable and single use syringe (Safety Syringe) because the (GPO) Group Purchasing Organization refused to adopt his new, more expensive, safer syringes.^[10][11] The inventor turned his hope toward Mike Weiss and Paul Danzigner with those issues. Together, Mike and Paul brought a lawsuit against the GPOs, but the case never went to trial. Several years later Mark Lanier settled the case for $150 million.^[12]

Deaths related to the GPO investigation

Following the civil case, a criminal investigation had been initiated by the US Attorney's office in Dallas against the GPOs. However, both US attorneys on the investigation died under mysterious circumstances, on 20 July 2004, Thelma Quince Colbert was found drowned in her pool, at the age of 55. The 13th September 2004 (55 days later), Shannon K. Ross died suddenly because of an inflammation of the meninges, spinal cord, and roots of the spinal nerves, scientifically called meningomyeloradiculitis.^[13] Afterwards three other assistant US attorneys working on that case were fired or forced to resign. The investigation was then called off.^{[14][15][16][17]}

Death

Weiss died at the age of 32 on 2 October 1999. Weiss' memorial service was held at The United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit Ceremonial Courtroom.^[9] The official cause of his death is from a drug overdose. The authorities did not pursue further investigation.

References