Posted on 10/28/2005 11:32:33 AM PDT by JZelle
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) -- A former bar owner was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for the death of a woman who prosecutors said participated in a drinking contest involving a red, yellow and green concoction called the "Stoplight Challenge."
Billy Leroy Scott, 34, apologized to Juanita Goodpasture's family at the sentencing Thursday.
"If we could change things, we would," Scott said. "... I liked Juanita, she was a great person, and it's a tragedy we lost her."
Scott was convicted of involuntary manslaughter last month in the alcohol poisoning death of Goodpasture, 31, who had a blood alcohol content of .430 when she was found dead at her home in July 2004 after a night of drinking with her mother and sister.
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"A lot of us are at fault, including myself," Goodpasture's mother, Bev Brown, told the court. "But he took a life and I think he should be punished for it."
The three women were drinking at The Point, a bar co-owned by Scott, when Scott served the red, yellow and green drink to Goodpasture, according to testimony.
Some said the "Stoplight Challenge" was used in a drinking contest; other witnesses testified the bar didn't sponsor one. Such games are illegal under state law, but prosecutors said patrons were refunded the $15 cost of the drink and awarded a T-shirt if they could remain coherent for 30 minutes after consuming it.
(Excerpt) Read more at ap.washingtontimes.com ...
Shouldn't the mother and sister be charged as well with something? They were with her and did nothing to stop her.
There is no such thing as personal responsibility anymore.
I like the way they look out for family. NOT!
Can't be from that one drink.
Probably this version of "The Stoplight":
Stoplight 1
- 1 part(s) Bacardi 151
- 1 part(s) Firewater
- 1 part(s) Midori
Still would take quite a few (depending of course how big the "1 part" was.)
I'm sure her mother and sister are also being held responsible as well.
The criminal complaint filed against Scott by the District Attorney's office alleges that Scott served alcohol in a unlawful manner or as unintentionally contributed to her death in a reckless manner by allowing patrons to participate in a drinking contest at the local nightclub.
(Source: Country 102.9; I can't access their web site, but you can get the google cached page here.)
According to the Kansas City Star article, "Kansas law bars drinking games from places that serve alcohol." Basically, the bar/bartender provided an incentive to consume these three hard alcohol drinks rapidly by giving you T-shirt and the money back if you do it within a certain amount of time and remain coherent for 30 minutes afterwards. My guess is that if that law was not on the books, or if this woman simply drank these drinks without an incentive, the bartender would not have been charged.
Either case, this is a perfect example of the erosion of the expectance of personal responsibility in society. The basis for this law probably stems from the idea that those who do not know better need to be protected (i.e. children), and being drunk makes you stupid like a kid. However, the drinker knowingly puts themselves in such a situation, and as such, he or she should accept responsibility for their actions while drunk at the time the drink their first drink. That last sentence was kind of confusing, but basically: IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT YOU WILL DO WHILE DRUNK, THEN DON'T DRINK.
"A lot of us are at fault, including myself," Goodpasture's mother, Bev Brown, told the court. "But he took a life and I think he should be punished for it."
Wow, that went to WE are at fault to HE took a life and HE should be punished, in one sentence. What a stupid @#%*$.
In a perfect world, "personal responsibility" would be everythng. But this isn't a perfect world and someone is dead.
The law places a burden on sellers of alcohol to behave responsibly and they failed by having this contest/promotion. Until we are all perfect people with perfect control, the state will need to regulate the behvior of sellers of alcohol.
SD
To paraphrase "The Princess Bride", "In all of history there have been only three truly sublimely stupid sentences ever uttered. This one blows them all away."
I'd hope they be charged - but even though they likely contributed to this, they "lost a daughter and a sister", so they've suffered enough according to the bleeding hearts.
Did you forget your sarcasm tag? Please?
"Until we are all perfect people with perfect control, the state will need to regulate ..."
Sending someone to jail who sells a legal adult alcohol isn't regulation. I'm not sure what it is, but it ain't regulation.
I saw this trial on Court TV and I think its disgusting that he was convicted- never mind actually having to serve 4 years in jail.
The Mother and Sister couldn't even carry the drunk woman out of the car. They had to get a blanket and drag her into the house. Then they left and went BACK to the bar! The bartender didn't "challenge" her to drink that drink- she asked him for it repeatedly.
Nope, sorry. I'm not a libertarian. The state surely needs to regulate the sellers of alcohol.
SD
Of course it's regulation. It is against the rules to have a bar sponsor drinking contests.
That's what they did. Now someone is dead. I am not saying the bar is the only one at fault, but they surely share part of the blame. And violating the liquor laws and contributing to someone's death is not nothing.
SD
To what end?
To what end? How about ensuring public safety? How about so more people don't end up dead? Is this really a difficut concept?
In an ideal world, we would not need these types of paternalistic regulations. But this is not an ideal world. Conservatives recognize the world is not ideal, and deal with the world as it is.
SD
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