IS THIS MOM RIGHT OR IS SHE TRIPPIN'?

[HairOfTheDog]

In a federal lawsuit, Long Island resident Kathi Fedden claims some officers were friendly with her 29-year-old son, Peter Fedden (pic above), because he owned a deli where he allowed officers to eat for $1 regardless of what they ordered.

After Peter Fedden drove through someone's front yard and hit a garage in July 2013, officers drove him home, even though he was "severely intoxicated" and visibly injured.

A short time later, he drove off in another car that had been parked in his driveway, crashed into a building and died.

"There is no question he would be alive today if he had been arrested at the first scene and there is no question he would be alive today if they had simply knocked on the door when they dropped him off," Harry Thomasson, Kathi Fedden's attorney, told CBS New York.

The $30 million lawsuit maintains that Fedden was too drunk to act responsibly, but that police should have known better.

"If you elect to take him home you can't just leave him in that driveway full of cars and drive off," Thomasson said.

The lawsuit also names the restaurant Ruby Tuesdays, where Fedden was drinking before the first crash, for failing to adequately train bartenders in DWI prevention. The restaurant chain did not respond to CBS New York's request for comment.
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I think Mrs. Fedden is lucky that her son didn't kill anybody else the night of his fatal DUI accident or someone might be attempting to sue her.

Anyway, what do you think -- are the cops and/or the bartender fully or partially responsible for her son's death?

[ramseycat]

The cops should have made sure he was in the house. Just dropping him off was dumb. But ultimately, it's the dudes own fault he is dead. Don't drink and drive.

[HairOfTheDog]

The cops should have made sure he was in the house. Just dropping him off was dumb. But ultimately, it's the dudes own fault he is dead. Don't drink and drive.

Yeah, I agree that Fedder is fully responsible for his own death. IMO, his mom doesn't deserve any financial compensation, much less $30 million.

This statement from his mom's lawyer isn't very compelling: "There is no question he would be alive today if he had been arrested at the first scene and there is no question he would be alive today if they had simply knocked on the door when they dropped him off."

How on earth could the lawyer know for certain that Peter Fedden would be alive today had he been arrested that night or if he'd been escorted into his house that night? He couldn't know that for certain, nobody could. He's really reaching.

But, I do think that Fedden should have been hauled into jail that night after driving into someone's front yard and hitting a garage door -- no special treatment for friends or acquaintances.

[sally]

I don't think Ruby Tuesdays is responsible, they have no obligation to patrol every patron drinking in their establishment, but the cops do have a duty to keep drunks off the street when they pull them over and suspect they've been drinking. They failed to do that so I think they are partially responsible, just like they'd be responsible if he happened to kill someone else that night. In the end it's their fault that they didn't do their job which was to take him to jail since he was clearly intoxicated.

People would be outraged if he killed someone else and it got out that the cops let him go because they were buddies.

[HairOfTheDog]

In the end it's their fault that they didn't do their job which was to take him to jail since he was clearly intoxicated.

People would be outraged if he killed someone else and it got out that the cops let him go because they were buddies.

That's a good point. If he'd killed someone else after being dropped off by police that night, I'd consider the officers partly liable for the other person's death.

I still don't think Fedden's mom deserves any money from the police force since Fedden was, IMO, a victim of himself. But, I could see a judge agreeing with your logic if Mrs. Fedden's case makes it to civil court.

In any case, there's no question in my mind that the officers who let Peter Fedden off the hook that night were negligent in their duties and deserve disciplinary action.

And, I agree with you that Ruby Tuesdays (and its bartender) isn't responsible at all.

[sally]

I don't agree that she deservers a 30 million settlement either, but I think they do share some responsibility and she might get something out of the deal.

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeah, now that I think about it, the police force might be wise to settle.

I don't think mom would get $30 million from a judge, a jury, or a settlement -- it's an outrageous amount considering Fedder's own illegal actions, IMO.

But, you make a good point and mom might well be able to negotiate a settlement from the force for as much or more as it would cost them to defend themselves in civil court. Such a settlement would probably amount to much more than chump change.