Suspicious death in Westport

[LenexatoKCMO]

I guess I just don't really buy the "head in the sand" argument.  We all know that Westport is crawling with cops.  And, I think we all know that cops will often intervene in situtations with or without an invitation.  It's their job. 

There is no indication that police were anywhere near the scene until long after discovery - the coverage indicates that westport security, followed by the EMTs were the first responders, with police called later.  Or are you suggesting the cops should have been following this kid around preemptively?

[KCMax]

That's how I read it that the friends haven't been available.

His 'friends' seem pretty shitty. Leave a seriously overintoxicated guy at the bar alone and now not making themselves available to police? 

[bobbyhawks]

It does seem odd that the police can't talk to his friends, and a made up story about "11 black guys with a baseball bat" and obvious video evidence surfaced through internet rumors the Monday after the incident (reportedly direct from his friends' mouths).

But just as I don't want to promote the unfounded rumors initially promoted, I think it is unfair to either say the police aren't doing their jobs or that his friends are being shady.  We don't know the full details, and it is possible that everyone has done everything they can in a positive way, and still nobody will find out what happened.  I am of the belief that the police have tried to do everything they could.  It is also possible that his friends don't really remember what happened and would be no help to police.  If they were all drinking heavily, this may be the reason why the police haven't been able to interview friends for reliable information.  Regardless of where his friends were, he wasn't drinking in Kelly's alone, so there is likely someone that was with him before he left or when he left.  They may be too scared to say what really happened or didn't think it was a big deal at the time, even if it was just a fall.

[KCPowercat]

No matter how little they know, his friends should have spoken with police that next day. They have jo idea what might lead to a tip and a cause. He was your friend, go tell the cops what you remember.

[bobbyhawks]

No matter how little they know, his friends should have spoken with police that next day. They have jo idea what might lead to a tip and a cause. He was your friend, go tell the cops what you remember.

True.  I was more referring to the fact that it is possible the friends did speak with the police, but the author's saying the police haven't been able to speak with his friends may mean more of "the police weren't able to use any of his friends information because they didn't know anything of substance."  Just don't want to belittle the police or his friends without knowing the full story.  But, yeah, anyone who knows any tiny snippet of that night should speak with the detectives.

For the record, I never knew him or his friends.  Don't know if the comment above was directed at me or the general "your."

[KCPowercat]

Could be, fair point.

Yeah sorry wasn't speaking to anyone specifically, just a general rant on that last stuff

[Thaine]

I'll tell you what, if I'm Kelly's and an all-american kid leaves my bar at .3 and subsequently dies or gets killed half a block away--I start pulling cash and depleting the inventory.  Might as well start calling it "Euston's Westport Inn".

On another note, I was at Kelly's Sunday evening as were some of the Euston's family and friends and that old hippy guy Terry? that owns Californo's.  I guess there was a vigil.  I chatted with a few and they still hold pretty firm that he was hit one time in the mouth with a bat and the impact was enough to break his neck.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I'll tell you what, if I'm Kelly's and an all-american kid leaves my bar at .3 and subsequently dies or gets killed half a block away--I start pulling cash and depleting the inventory.  Might as well start calling it "Euston's Westport Inn".

Plaintiffs sure better hope they can establish what actually happened if they think they are going to cash in.  Pretty hard to prove negligence was responsible when no one knows what in the hell hapened to the kid.  Too many things could have happened between the bar and death for this to be a res ipsa loquitor case. 

[KCPowercat]

So its still their contention that the cops know this but aren't releasing it?

[KC-wildcat]

Or are you suggesting the cops should have been following this kid around preemptively?

Yeah, this is clearly what I'm suggesting.  They probably had him wired, too.  Maybe the cops were actually the ones who killed him.   


&


I'm just making the point that cops are everywhere.  And in my experience (professional and otherwise) it's very unusual for law enforcement to be so completely and entirely out of the loop.  Especially when you're talking about a possible murder in Westport.  If the guy fell out of a tree in a forrest in eastern Montana, it would make sense.  But, with how close many bar/restuarant owners, security guards, etc. are with law enforcement and knowing how much these people talk, it's very surprising that the cops wouldn't have even heard the slightest rumor of this accident until several days later.   

[KC-wildcat]

Likewise, I find it incredibly odd that the EMT would be called out to the scene without the Cops being called.  Especially since calls to the EMT are routed through 9-1-1.  Are you telling me that dispatch routed a call of life threatening injuried (possible homicide) to the EMT without also calling a squad car?  Give me a break. 


I don't know if I've ever even seen an ambulance on the scene of an injury without a fire truck and police car being there as well. 

[LenexatoKCMO]

it's very surprising that the cops wouldn't have even heard the slightest rumor of this accident until several days later.   

I don't think that is what is being said.  It sounds like Westport security showed up, called in the EMTs and then some time after the EMT's arrived the police were finally called.  It sounds like more of a short term delay then a long term delay.  Also sounds like an issue of Westport security not doing a very good job of relaying what was going on in their call.  But in the meantime, instead of police getting the scene secured you have all sorts of people traipsing all over the crime scene and folks who might have seen something or been involved have plenty of extra time to slink away. 

[Thaine]

Plaintiffs sure better hope they can establish what actually happened if they think they are going to cash in.  Pretty hard to prove negligence was responsible when no one knows what in the hell hapened to the kid.  Too many things could have happened between the bar and death for this to be a res ipsa loquitor case. 

The bar served him to 5 times (I think its .6 now?) the legal limit and he died before he got off the block.  And they have him on camera until he enters the crowd, so its not like they can say he went somewhere else and chugged a bottle of booze.  They're toast, although if he was killed they don't have the damages they might have, had he died by falling.

[KCPowercat]

And hiding their bat that only seems to exist gia the internet

[chrizow]

I don't think that is what is being said.  It sounds like Westport security showed up, called in the EMTs and then some time after the EMT's arrived the police were finally called.  It sounds like more of a short term delay then a long term delay.  Also sounds like an issue of Westport security not doing a very good job of relaying what was going on in their call.  But in the meantime, instead of police getting the scene secured you have all sorts of people traipsing all over the crime scene and folks who might have seen something or been involved have plenty of extra time to slink away. 

in one of the articles that came out last week, the police spokesperson said that KCPD wasn't involved until the next day, because the guy's uncle (a former KCPD officer) went to see him in the hospital and decided the police should be involved.  

[LenexatoKCMO]

The bar served him to 5 times (I think its .6 now?) the legal limit and he died before he got off the block.  And they have him on camera until he enters the crowd, so its not like they can say he went somewhere else and chugged a bottle of booze.  They're toast, although if he was killed they don't have the damages they might have, had he died by falling.

As long as the possibility of homicide is on the table, there will be a massive uphill battle proving that the bar's negligence did indeed contribute to his death.  If somebody beat him upside the head with a bat or whatever, robbed him, who knows - that all could have happened if he was clean sober.  Missouri is a comparitive negligence state, no?  Better hope the autopsy says fall if you want to cash in. 

[LenexatoKCMO]

in one of the articles that came out last week, the police spokesperson said that KCPD wasn't involved until the next day, because the guy's uncle (a former KCPD officer) went to see him in the hospital and decided the police should be involved.  

Ahh yes - definitely sounds like communications went in the shitter then. 

[chrizow]

As long as the possibility of homicide is on the table, there will be a massive uphill battle proving that the bar's negligence did indeed contribute to his death.  If somebody beat him upside the head with a bat or whatever, robbed him, who knows - that all could have happened if he was clean sober.  Missouri is a comparitive negligence state, no?  Better hope the autopsy says fall if you want to cash in. 

it might be worth six or seven figures to kelly's insurance carrier to not roll the dice on finding the cause...

[KC-wildcat]

I also can't understand how and EMT is called to the scene withou the Cops already being there or, at the very least, the "foot patrol" Cops following the abulance to the scene of the incident. 

Come on, there are easily 20 cops in Westport on weekends. 

[LenexatoKCMO]

it might be worth six or seven figures to kelly's insurance carrier to not roll the dice on finding the cause...

Seven figures?  We are talking about a single dude in his twenties, not an infant or a bread winner for a family of six.  Seven figures would be if they had an airtight case and full liability on the bar.