Bartender jailed for serving lethal tequila shots

cnn on line ^ | 11/23/2005 | AP

[kjam22]

OSLO, Norway (AP) -- A 32-year-old Norwegian bartender was sentenced to six months in prison Wednesday for serving a customer so much tequila that he fell into a coma and died.

According to a district court in the southwestern city of Hokksund the bartender, whose name was withheld, pleaded guilty to serving 34-year-old Leif Henning Nilsen 19 shots of the strong Mexican liquor in 90 minutes at the Spiseriet restaurant in May 2004.

Nilsen lost consciousness and died three days later.

The court said it could not hold the bartender accountable for the death itself, but sentenced him to prison for illegally serving alcohol to a clearly intoxicated person.

[kjam22]

19 in 90 minutes??

[GSlob]

But how large is a "shot" in Norway? If 1 ounce, then it was 530ml total [and the bartender would probably scrimp, so let's round it off to 500]. I've seen people doing 500ml of vodka within 1 hour and it didn't show on them [they had been inebriated even before]. Leif Henning Nilsen probably lacked in training and forgot to eat - before and during - or was a wuss.

[flutters]

Your link didn't take me to the article.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/11/23/bartender.tequila.ap/index.html

[kjam22]

Sorry about that...

[flutters]

No prob, have a shot on me. :-)

[Constitution Day]

Like I used to call it in college: TE-KILL-YA

[Just another Joe]

19 in a night is my personal best.
And that was right out of boot camp.

[kjam22]

I've got a feeling 19 shots of Tequila would kill me..... :)

[JIM O]

Hopefully he was paying COD and not running a tab.

[wideawake]

That's a shot every five minutes.

[Just another Joe]

I've got a feeling 19 shots of Tequila would kill me..... :)

I just wished I was dead the next morning at muster. ;^)

[Junior]

Shotglasses in the U.S. hold 1½ ounces (42ml) of alcohol. This would make the total the late lamented imbibed about 800ml. A fifth only contains 750ml.

[GSlob]

Well, if I were to run a marathon without first getting in shape, I'd collapse, too. 750 is doable, but with training and effort.

[Junior]

I'm a fairly heavy drinker and I think a fifth in 90 minutes would kill me, let alone 800ml in the same time period.

[HawaiianGecko]

	19 shots total 28.5 ounces, just a bit over an entire fifth (4/5 quart) of liquor, and you are saying you know a guy that can drink that much in 90 minutes and he's not drunk? When my choices are anecdotal evidence and medical evidence, I'll side with the latter.

 

 

[kinghorse]

but they went down so smooth.
alcohol is legalized stupidity.

[lightingguy]

Tequilla ping

[GSlob]

I was born and grew up in Moscow, former USSR. Thus I'd say I've seen heavy drinkers in all shapes and sizes they come. And what I was saying was that the people doing it showed few external signs - they already had been inebriated [visible without giving them breathanalyzer], and they continued drinking more. Practice makes perfect.

[GOP_1900AD]

A downed a bottle more than once. In my reckless youth I was one of those who didn't get hangovers from Tequila (but only Tequila). Of course, I wound not even think of trying that now! :-)

[Melas]

1 shot = 44.3602945 milliliters so, 19 shots would be 842.8455955ml, or pretty damned close to double your figures.