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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Texas Nightclub Found Liable in Cowboys Player’s Death

A Dallas County jury awarded the mother of former Dallas Cowboys football player Jerry Brown $25 million Thursday afternoon, concluding a local nightclub shared responsibility in his car collision death six years ago.

DALLAS (CN) – A Dallas County jury awarded the mother of former Dallas Cowboys football player Jerry Brown $25 million Thursday afternoon, concluding a local nightclub shared responsibility in his car collision death six years ago.

Jurors deliberated for over four hours before finding Beamers Private Club and Brown’s teammate, Josh Brent, each 48 percent responsible for Brown’s death, while holding Brown himself four percent responsible.

Plaintiff Stacy Jackson claimed the club served Brent too much alcohol before he drove Brown away and crashed and rolled his Mercedes S60 along the President George Bush Turnpike in Irving.

Prosecutors said his blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit. The nightclub closed six months after Brown’s death and is currently in bankruptcy court.

Plaintiff’s attorneys argued during trial that club employees would continue to provide expensive bottle service to high-profile guests and allowed Brent to leave the bar drunk.

“There’s a reason why Texas law holds bars accountable for injuries caused by overserved patrons,” said attorney Charla Aldous, with Aldous Walker in Dallas. “This establishment chose to continue serving this celebrity guest because he was buying expensive bottles and running up a large tab. No one bothered to consider the consequences when he got behind the wheel.”

Now retired, Brent was convicted of intoxication manslaughter and spent six months in county jail. Jackson is credited with sparing him a sentence of up to 20 years in state prison by publicly forgiving him, asking the Cowboys to support him and asking jurors in his criminal trial for leniency.

Brent was reinstated to the Cowboys in November 2014 after serving his sentence and a 10-game suspension by the National Football League.

Follow @davejourno
Categories / Courts, Personal Injury, Sports

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