I like making fun of either the pompous and powerful, or the low-rent lowlifes living off your dime. There is no fun in this story, but there is a disturbing trend.
The story started at the end of November:
Parents of Debra Davis appeared in Dedham District Court last week claiming New England Patriots CEO and owner Robert Kraft is "partly responsible" for the death of their daughter and one of their daughter’s friends following a car crash after the 2008 New England Country Music Festival at Gillette Stadium, according to 7News.
Davis and her friend, Alexa Latteo, were reportedly tailgating "all day" prior to the 2008 Country Music Festival without tickets to the conert. The two girls, along with their friend, Nina Houlihan, left the Gillette Stadium area intoxicated when Latteo’s vehicle crashed into a tree. Latteo and Davis were killed while Houlihan surived.
Lawyers for the victims’ families said in court last Tuesday that as the owner of Gillette Stadium, Kraft "is responsible for their actions," according to 7News.
I assumed, like most rational people familiar with this tragic story, that the judge would do his job and tell the grieving family “I understand you’re in pain, but you can’t sue Robert Kraft because you’re hurting. Your daughters made the decision to drink and drive, and they alone are responsible for this tragedy.”
I forgot this is Massachusetts:
A lawsuit stemming from the deaths of two women who had been drinking in a Gillette Stadium parking lot can go to trial, a judge ruled Friday.
The Kraft companies in charge of parking and security at Gillette stadium have a duty to reasonable care of the patrons on their premises, including when the patrons are engaged in risky and illegal activity that contributes to injury or death.
Norfolk County Superior Court Judge Patrick Brady ruled last Friday the lawsuit against New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft involving the deaths of two women in 2008 following a car crash after a Country Music Festival concert at Gillette Stadium can go to trial.
If the judge’s premise is correct, and property owners are responsible for everything that happens on their property and afterwards, how can anyone ever have an event open to the public?
Go to the movies, sneak in, bring a bottle, get drunk and drive—BOOM! Your family just sued AMC theaters. Go to an AA meeting, meet a fellow drunk and fall off the wagon together—BOOM! I hope the church whose basement you’re meeting in has lots of insurance.
How about this one? I break into your restaurant, drink up your liquor, then kill myself driving home? BOOM! The restaurant “should have taken reasonable care…even if you’re engaged in illegal activity.”
We’ve had enough tragedy from this story. We don’t need to add stupidity, too.
Radio talk show host, columnist for the Boston Herald, stand-up comic and former GOP political consultant.