The Nation : Firm Settles 2 Suits in Challenger Deaths

Parents of two Challenger crew members killed when the shuttle blew up two years ago next week have reached out-of-court settlements in wrongful death claims against booster-maker Morton Thiokol Inc., their lawyer said. The amount of the awards was not disclosed. Challenger was destroyed Jan. 28, 1986, after a solid-fuel booster built by Morton Thiokol ruptured. All seven people aboard were killed. Houston lawyer Ronald J. Krist said Morton Thiokol settled a wrongful death suit with Bruce Jarvis of Orlando, Fla., father of civilian astronaut Gregory B. Jarvis of Hermosa Beach, and Sara Resnik Belfer of Cleveland, mother of veteran shuttle astronaut Judith A. Resnik of Akron, Ohio.