Where Is Personal Responsibility

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – A former bar owner was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for the death of a woman who prosecutors said participated in a drinking contest involving a red, yellow and green concoction called the "Stoplight Challenge."

Billy Leroy Scott, 34, apologized to Juanita Goodpasture’s family at the sentencing Thursday: "If we could change things, we would. … I liked Juanita, she was a great person, and it’s a tragedy we lost her."

Scott was convicted of involuntary manslaughter last month in the alcohol poisoning death of Goodpasture, 31, who had a blood alcohol content of .430 when she was found dead at her home in July 2004 after a night of drinking with her mother and sister.

"A lot of us are at fault, including myself," Goodpasture’s mother, Bev Brown, told the court. "But he took a life and I think he should be punished for it."

The three women were drinking at The Point, a bar co-owned by Scott, when Scott served the red, yellow and green drink to Goodpasture, according to testimony.

Some said the "Stoplight Challenge" was used in a drinking contest; other witnesses testified the bar didn’t sponsor one.

Such games are illegal under state law, but prosecutors said patrons were refunded the $15 cost of the drink and awarded a T-shirt if they could remain coherent for 30 minutes after consuming it.

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

OK, at what point was this woman’s alcohol level the bartenders responsibility more than her mothers’ , her sisters’ or her own?  Either there are some serious facts missing from this, such as the bartender knew it was that toxic, served someone that was already extremely intoxicated, or forced her to drink this in some way, or…well, I dunno what!

As someone that has been around and watched bartenders for years (grandpa owned a bar) I know you cannot serve someone that is legally intoxicated and let them leave your bar or you are responsible for their actions.  I know this, I also know that most bartenders would rather cut you off than endanger your lives or have to deal with a sick or stupid drunk….so what facts did not come to light in this story?

If nothing is missing…where did her personal responsibility for her own actions end?