In a wrongful death settlement, the convenience store where Paul Murdaugh, then 19 years old, purchased alcohol on the night before his death in a boating accident has paid out to his family. An attorney for Mallory Beach’s family confirmed to CNN that a “global settlement” for $15 million was reached with convenience store company Parker’s Kitchen and owner Greg Parker on Sunday.
Lawyer Mark Tinsley told CNN that the Beach family “believes this settlement will serve as a warning to all the Parker’s of the world,” or anybody else who could make an illegal sale of alcohol to a minor. Although these compromises cannot bring Mallory back to us, we hold out hope that they will help save the life of another child.
The lawsuit alleged that in February of 2019, just before the boat crash, Paul Murdaugh used his older brother’s driver’s license to buy alcohol from a Parker’s Kitchen convenience store. Paul Murdaugh, according to the police, was drunk when he smashed his father’s boat into a bridge, throwing Beach into the ocean and killing five of his friends.
A week after the crash, search crews located her body. Two years from now, in June of 2021, Paul Murdaugh and his mom, Maggie, will be dead. Alex Murdaugh, Paul’s father, was convicted guilty of murdering both Paul and his mother earlier this year, and he is currently serving two consecutive life terms.
The tweet below verifies the news:
The family of a teenager killed in a crash involving a boat owned by the prominent South Carolina Murdaugh family has settled a wrongful death lawsuit with the convenience store that Paul Murdaugh, then 19, purchased alcohol from the night of the crash https://t.co/tuaLYRibfl
— CNN (@CNN) July 17, 2023
He is challenging his conviction in court. Paul Murdaugh was facing accusations of DUI boating that resulted in serious bodily harm and death at the time of his murder. The accusations against Paul Murdaugh, who had pled not guilty, were withdrawn after he passed away.
The deal means that the civil trial that was due to commence the following month will not go forward. In preparation for the trial in the wrongful death case, Alex Murdaugh was supposed to be deposed. In the lawsuit, he was named as the second primary defendant.
The wrongful death suit filed by Parker and Mallory Beach was settled with them for $15 million, Tinsley said. With the court-appointed receiver in possession of Alex Murdaugh’s assets, “we are wrapping up the remaining claims against him.”
The following are some other news from the California Examiner that you might find interesting:
- Golden Bachelor Revealed: ABC Introduces Gerry Turner as the Golden Bachelor for Senior Dating Series
- 10-Year-Old Boy Seriously Injured After Being Thrown from Carnival Ride at Illinois Festival
A lawyer representing Parker’s claims that two important judgments made by a judge just days prior spurred the settlement. A judge rejected Parker’s requests last week to move the trial out of Hampton County and to try the case independently of the Alex Murdaugh case.
In their defense of their client, Parker’s lawyers said the Murdaugh name had become too divisive in the small town for their client to receive a fair trial. In a statement to CNN, PK Shere, an attorney for Parker’s, expressed his displeasure at the mediation agreement’s breach by disclosing the details of the settlement talks.
The court recently decided that Parker’s trial will be tied to Alex Murdaugh. Despite this, (the State Law Enforcement Division) found that (employee) Tajeeha Cohen did make a legitimate sale. That perfectly legal sale and the series of poor choices these young people made that night are irrelevant to this case.
Mark Tinsley’s goal was to make Parker’s pay for a verdict that was meant to penalize the Murdaughs by exploiting their poor behavior and the unfair system of joint and several responsibility in South Carolina. Shere argued that Parker’s chances of receiving a fair trial were “essentially eliminated” because of the case’s unprecedented level of media attention.
According to Shere, “under the joint and several liability law in South Carolina, Parker’s would have been responsible for paying the entire verdict rendered against the Murdaugh family if it had been found even 1% at fault.” To avoid having to pay the inevitable award intended to penalize Alex Murdaugh, Parker’s insurance carriers settled these actions, which is unfair.
All the lawsuits involving boat sinkings can now be considered closed. We hope that everyone can go on and have a sense of resolution,” Shere said. Lawyers said that everyone else who was on the boat when it sank has also settled their claims against Parker’s.
The Beach family has not settled a second civil conspiracy action alleging harassment and centering on the public publication of confidential investigation pictures, including of Mallory Beach’s body, filed against Parker, his store, and others. The case is still going on.
How do you stay up with what’s happening in California? Follow the California Examiner on Twitter to learn about current events in California.
You may also be interested in these pieces from the California Examiner:
- Rash of Shootings in Austin Leaves Five Dead, Prompting Investigation
- Babysitter Charged with Child Neglect Causing Death in Tragic Incident in Dunbar
