A Louisiana bar owner, who allegedly served underage accused rapists alcohol, has been banned and fined following the death of Louisiana State University student, Madison Brooks.
The Advocate reports that Reggie’s Bar in Tigerland has lost its liquor license, while the bar owner has been banned from serving alcohol in Louisiana, and must pay a $15,000 fine. The agreement was made between bar owner Darin Adams and the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control attorneys.
The agreement was approved by Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Ernest Legier, who also shut the bar down indefinitely to the current owners.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, 19-year-old Brooks was drinking at Reggie’s Bar near the LSU campus, when she asked Kaivon Washington, 18; Everette Lee, 28; Casen Carver, 18; and 17-year-old Desmond Carter for a ride home. She allegedly said she was intoxicated and couldn’t find her friends.
Since Brooks was purportedly unable to tell them where she lived, they dropped her off in a subdivision; she was later hit by a car driven by a ride-share driver.
Madison passed away from her injuries at a hospital.
According to the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the suspects are now facing charges that include:
- Washington: Third-degree rape
- Carter: First and third-degree rape (will be tried as an adult)
- Lee: Principal to third-degree rape (which means they were present but did not take part and did nothing to stop it)
- Carver: Principle to third-degree rape
An autopsy revealed that Brooks’ blood alcohol level was nearly four times the legal limit, and all four of the suspects had been drinking at the bar. Only the 28-year-old Lee, however, was drinking legally, as the drinking age is 21.
Washington reportedly recorded parts of the interactions during the last hours with Brooks, which showed the argument breaking out between Brooks and Carver.
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The defendants’ lawyer, Ron Haley, said that Brooks agreed to get out of the car after she gave Carver numerous addresses to bring her to, which irritated and flustered him while he was driving.
“She gets upset with them and uses some choice language directed at Carver. After that he verbally asked her to get out of the vehicle. She acquiesces and says, that’s fine I’ll Uber to wherever I need to go next. That pretty much is it. She got out at a parking lot of an apartment complex at the Pelican Lakes subdivision. After they had driven off, she walked to Burbank Drive and was hit by another vehicle.”
Haley also claimed that Brooks “absolutely” consented to sex, according to WAFB 9.
“Absolutely not a rape. Listen this is a tragedy, definitely not a crime,” Haley said. “Can you tell, that she was intoxicated? Yes–to the point under the law that you say you’re in a drunken stupor, to the point that you cannot lawfully give consent or answer questions, absolutely that was not the case.”
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[Featured image: Madison Brooks/Handout]
