Family Suing Statesboro for Student’s Death
Georgia State University is a popular school for students across the state and across the country, thanks to its well-respected academics and exhilarating student life. GSU’s home city of Statesboro is full of popular hot spots and hangouts, including a variety of bars. One of these bars was the site of a terrible tragedy in 2014, and now the victim’s family is taking legal action.
In 2014, a freshman decided to visit Rude Rudy’s bar. Though he was underage, he was still served alcohol. Later in the night, he got into an altercation and was beaten to death. As a result, the state of Georgia passed “Gatto’s Law,” which prohibits anyone under the age of 21 from entering a bar, including working at one.
The man who was charged with the student’s death is currently spending 20 years in prison. In addition, Rude Rudy’s lost their alcohol license, and were shut down by the city. Now, the victim’s family is suing the city of Statesboro and the City Clerk for $11 million, stating the city did not take proper measures to stop Rude Rudy’s from serving alcohol to minors and created a “dangerous environment.”
There are five points made in the lawsuit:
- Negligence on the part of the City Clerk for not setting administrative hearings and due process hearings in a timely fashion for the underage drinking violations at Rude Rudy’s.
- Nuisance for allowing Rude Rudy’s to remain open after the incident.
- Nuisance for changes in Statesboro’s laws, such as: allowing for the employment of underage bouncers with criminal records; removing the requirement to comply with the 50/50 ratio of serving food and alcohol; removing any real penalties for serving minors; and encouraging the practice of serving underage students, thus creating a dangerous environment.
- Punitive damages for showing a clear disregard of the safety and lives of citizens.
- The cost of litigation.
The case is expected to be tried by a jury in July 2017.
Though no amount of money can bring back a loved one, bringing a legal case against someone who causes their death can bring a measure of closure and can prevent others from suffering the same kind of loss. If your loved one was killed by someone else’s actions or negligence, contact the DeKalb County wrongful death attorneys at Hawkins Spizman Fortas today for a free consultation.
