Cadillac Ranch patriarch Stanley Marsh 3 and several of his associates settled all the lawsuits from 10 men who alleged sex acts were performed in Marsh’s high-rise office when they were minors, reported the Amarillo Globe-News on Saturday.
A statement by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, however, indicates Cadillac Ranch has or soon will be transferred into some type of other ownership, other than Marsh’s.
Attorneys for both sides said they couldn’t comment about the confidential terms of the settlement. However, Anthony Buzbee, an attorney for the plaintiffs, gave a brief statement, according to the newspaper:
“The plaintiffs and the Marsh entities in this case, to include Gwendolyn Marsh as guardian for Stanley Marsh 3, have
resolved all of their differences. None of the parties is authorized to comment on the nature or amount of the settlement. The parties agree that Stanley Marsh 3 does not own the Cadillac Ranch. The parties will have no further comment.” […]
My italics.
The Globe-News gave no explanation on why Buzbee made that statement about Cadillac Ranch’s ownership. It was clear from earlier stories that Marsh owned Cadillac Ranch, but he now apparently longer does. That would lead me to believe the art installation of 10 old Cadillacs planted nose-down along Route 66 west of Amarillo has been transferred into a trust, or someone else has been deeded the property.
It was Buzbee who floated the idea to tear down or dismantle Cadillac Ranch if Marsh were found guilty of the criminal charges against him. I suggested at the time that Marsh divest his holdings of the land where Cadillac Ranch sits, and let a local nonprofit or trust take it over. Perhaps Marsh took that advice.
Other defendants in the settled lawsuits were Marsh’s son, Marsh’s wife, and a business associate.
Marsh still faces charges of six counts of child sexual abuse and five counts of sexual performance by a child. However, one has to wonder whether the settlements will substantially weaken the case against him.
Marsh’s attorneys said he would “fight as vigorously as his declining health permits” against the charges. Marsh, 75, has suffered a series of strokes in recent years, and looked frail during his arraignment.
(Image of Cadillac Ranch by OneEighteen, via Flickr)