Times, studio and ad firm settle VA hospital case
The Los Angeles Times, Paramount Pictures and the advertising company whose “Mission: Impossible III” promotional campaign prompted an evacuation of a Veterans Affairs hospital have finalized a settlement with the government, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles said Thursday.
The paper, the studio and Allied Advertising agreed to pay $75,000 to settle the case but did not admit wrongdoing.
In April 2006, red plastic digital music devices with wires -- designed to play the “Mission: Impossible” theme song -- were placed in 4,500 coin-operated news racks in Los Angeles and Ventura counties to advertise the movie, starring Tom Cruise.
One such device at the VA West Los Angeles Medical Center alarmed a patient, who thought it was a bomb.
The hospital was evacuated for 90 minutes. The evacuation had a “significant impact” on the hospital for an additional 90 minutes, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
The money will be used to compensate the VA hospital, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Neither Paramount nor Allied returned calls for comment. A Los Angeles Times Communications spokeswoman declined to comment on the settlement.
The U.S. Attorney’s office had estimated that the VA sustained $92,855.77 in damages because of the evacuation.
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