Relatives of famous people may make the news but are not excused from the law. A 23-year-old man, and cousin of a famous actor and model, has been charged with second-degree murder following the death of a New York City transit worker.
The young man had been observed at a club earlier in the evening at a Manhattan night club. Local news reports have released a photo depicting his presence there with a drink in hand. He had reportedly been celebrating there with his celebrity relative.
Prosecutors claim the young man had a blood alcohol level of twice the legal limit in the state when he allegedly crashed a stolen truck into a bus, killing the operator of the city vehicle.
The judge refused to accept a second-degree murder charge in the incident. While the young man may be an upstanding citizen, opinions have flipped back and forth regarding the gravity of a murder charge. Legal advisors for the young man have countered he was too inebriated to know the severity of his act, but the family of the deceased feel the punishment fits the crime.
As the judge ruled the grand jury’s decision was appropriate, the legal advisor of the young man maintains the charges are too harsh. The 23-year-old will have a second hearing in the near future.
The common law wife of the decedent felt the 23-year-old had not been overcharged. She personally thanked the court and stated that she had spent 30 years with her partner, and this act changed her life forever.
Family members state the life of their loved one has its price. They have filed a civil suit against the nightclub where the young man and his uncle had been, claiming they should have exercised a more sound judgment in serving overly-inebriated patrons. The say this violated the violated New York’s Dram Shop Act.
Many accidents in the New York area result in the wrongful death of a family or loved one. If it is determined this fatality is due to a negligent party, family members of the decedent have the right to file a wrongful death suit. If you have suffered a tragic loss, you deserve to have the guidance of a sympathetic team of people skilled in the state’s legal matters.
Source: CBS New York, “Judge Refuses To Dismiss Murder Charge Against Man Accused In MTA Bus Driver’s Death” Jul. 15, 2014
