Printer Friendly
The Free Library
21,607,437 articles and books
Member login
User name  
Password 
 
Join us Forgot password?

FAMILY SUES OVER TEEN'S PARTY DEATH A.V. SCHOOL DISTRICT AMONG DEFENDANTS.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - The parents of slain teen-ager Christopher O'Leary have filed a wrongful death The taking of the life of an individual resulting from the willful or negligent act of another person or persons.

If a person is killed because of the wrongful conduct of a person or persons, the decedent's heirs and other beneficiaries may file a wrongful death action
 suit against the three former Littlerock High School Littlerock High School is a public, co-educational high school located in Littlerock, California. It is the a part of the Antelope Valley High School District (AVHSD). External links
  • Official Web Site
 athletes accused of killing him at a birthday party, as well as against the parents of the boy at whose home the party was held.

In two separate lawsuits, the family also is suing the Antelope Valley Union High School District The Antelope Valley Union High School District (A.V.U.H.S.D.) is located in the Antelope Valley area of California, in northern Los Angeles County.

The district includes eight public high schools, one trade school, and two continuation high schools in the cities of Palmdale
, and the principal and football coach at Littlerock High School, claiming that officials failed to properly discipline O'Leary's attackers for previous incidents.

``School authority defendants ... did, in fact, conspire con·spire  
v. con·spired, con·spir·ing, con·spires

v.intr.
1. To plan together secretly to commit an illegal or wrongful act or accomplish a legal purpose through illegal action.

2.
 among and between themselves to do nothing to supervise or punish football player defendants ... so as to not detrimentally affect the performance of the football team ... at Littlerock High School by (their) removal ... ,'' one lawsuit said.

One lawsuit was filed by O'Leary's mother and stepfather, Kathleen and Kenneth Harris, his two younger sisters, and O'Leary's girlfriend, Stacy Holzer.

The other suit was filed by O'Leary's father, Michael O'Leary Michael O'Leary is the name of a number of prominent people:
  • Michael O'Leary (VC) (1890–1961), Irish-Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • Michael O'Leary (politician) (1936–2006), former leader of the Irish Labour Party
.

High school district officials deny responsibility. They rejected in January and again in February legal claims filed by the Harrises, who asked for $2 million in damages.

O'Leary, an 18-year-old former Littlerock High student, was punched and kicked just after midnight May 20, 2000 when he went to pick up Holzer at a football team member's 18th birthday party. He died three days later.

Richard Newton Richard Newton (1777 – 1798) was an English caricaturist.

Short lived but brilliant British Caricaturist. He published his first caricature at 13. Pioneer of the strip form of cartoon.
, 18, was sentenced in February to four years in state prison for involuntary manslaughter The act of unlawfully killing another human being unintentionally.

Most unintentional killings are not murder but involuntary manslaughter. The absence of the element of intent is the key distinguishing factor between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter.
 and assault.

Rodney Woods, 18, entered a no contest plea to assault and was sentenced to a year in jail. The assault charge was for beating Kevin Walker For other persons of the same name, see Walker.

Kevin Walker is the name of:
  • Kevin Walker (Brothers & Sisters), television character on Brothers & Sisters
  • Kevin Walker (football player), former American football player
, a friend of O'Leary, after he objected to the attack on O'Leary.

Charges relating to relating to relate prepconcernant

relating to relate prepbezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc 
 O'Leary's death were dropped against Woods.

Marcus Raines, 18, is awaiting trial on murder and assault charges.

All three defendants were minors at the time of the offense but were ruled unfit to be tried as juveniles.

The high school district had earlier rejected a claim filed by the Harrises, in which they were seeking $2 million in damages.

Their lawsuit described the birthday party in the 38100 block of Boxthorn Street in Palmdale as a ``school district-sanctioned event,'' court records show.

School and district officials ``negligently permitted said defendants with violent propensities to be in a position where they could endanger decedent An individual who has died. The term literally means "one who is dying," but it is commonly used in the law to denote one who has died, particularly someone who has recently passed away.  and other students despite a 'zero tolerance policy,''' the suit said.

In August 2000, district officials said they were investigating whether Newton and Woods escaped discipline for prior fights. The results of that probe have never been made public.

The probe was prompted by sheriff's reports of two incidents, including one in July 1999 in which Newton and Woods were accused of punching and throwing paint on another boy during a graffiti cleanup day in Littlerock.

Newton and another student were cited after a fistfight in the boys locker room in 1998. In March 1999, a teacher said he saw Newton and Woods hit and kick another student.

Raines was suspended from school twice for five days, each time for fighting, a prosecutor said.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2001, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

 Reader Opinion

Title:

Comment:



 

Article Details
Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:May 24, 2001
Words:514
Previous Article:WATER AGENCY HEAD, STAFF GET RAISES.
Next Article:TRIBUTE TO COMEDIAN LUCILLE BALL TO FEATURE IMPERSONATOR.



Related Articles
DISTRICT FREE FROM LAWSUIT SLAIN TEEN'S MOM DENIED.
THIRD STUDENT ARRESTED.
TEENS CHARGED IN GANG SLAYING GIRL, 14, TREATED AS ADULT UNDER PROP. 21.
TEEN SENTENCED TO 1 YEAR IN JAIL PLEA BARGAIN AVOIDS MURDER CHARGE.
NEWTON GETS FOUR YEARS ATHLETE SENTENCED TO PRISON IN O'LEARY DEATH.
SUSPECTS IN TEEN SLAYING TO STAY IN CUSTODY, JUDGE RULES.
WALK HEALS GRIEF : SVC-BASED GROUP PAYS TRIBUTE TO LOST LOVED ONES.
ANTELOPE VALLEY: BRIEFLY : BANK'S CLOSING FOILS ATTEMPT AT ROBBERY.
HATE CRIME VICTIM FILES LAWSUIT : DAMAGES SOUGHT FROM ATTACKERS, ANTELOPE VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
BRIEFLY UNCLE CONVICTED IN FATAL SHOOTING.

Terms of use | Copyright © 2013 Farlex, Inc. | Feedback | For webmasters | Submit articles