Florida residents don’t typically expect to be suddenly beaten up on the street without reason. However, this happened to a young man in Old City, a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The recent Temple University graduate was so severely beaten that he died from personal injury.
The man was hailing a cab with his girlfriend in January 2012 when three men suddenly got out of a car and began attacking him. The three pled guilty to the attack and are currently serving jail sentences for their roles in the murder.
The family is now filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the two bars — G Lounge and Lucy’s Hat Shop — that served the men alcohol before the attack. The men were allegedly drunk at the time of attack and the lawsuit claims that the bars violated state laws. The bars continued to serve the men alcohol after displaying signs of drunkenness. In addition, two of the attackers were under legal drinking age and should not have been served alcohol. The lawsuit also lists the three attackers as defendants.
This is a very unfortunate situation for a family to have to endure. Having to deal with a young man’s murder – without a clear cause of action – is indescribable. The bars were negligent in continuing to allow the men to drink, especially if the state has laws forcing bars to stop serving alcohol to patrons after a certain point. Plus, the bar allowed patrons under age 21 to drink. Had the bar been more responsible — and not simply worry about selling alcohol and making money — then the young man may still be alive today.
However, the three men are not without fault. They have a duty to at least refrain from hurting others – whether or not they were actually intoxicated. Hopefully the results of the lawsuit will be favorable and the family can get the closure they need to move on with their lives.
Source:
Philly.com, “Wrongful death suit filed in Temple grad’s murder” Solomon Leach, Aug. 23, 2013
