Found Deceased TN - Riley Strain, 22, missing after leaving bar, Nashville, 8 March 2024 #3

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It's interesting to me that the family seems to want to believe it is foul play, but to me personally, I would think that would be even harder to deal with. I lost some love ones in a tragic accident, but it wasn't anyone's fault and they were having fun when they passed. If they had been murdered I think that would bring even more horrible emotions, like anger and thoughts of revenge into my already broken heart.
People just want to have someone to blame.
 
Denial of an Obvious Possibility?

Per stepfather, in May 14 MSM.
"If he truly fell in the water... I don't feel like it's really possible to happen." **

"His stepfather believes Strain would have hit his head or suffered other injuries if he had fallen straight down into the water.
“No cuts or scrapes or anything serious like that,” Whiteid said." per NewsNation Ap. 17.**

@branmuffin (TYVM :) posted:
"... he just got unlucky that night..."
Well, I'll add verrry, verrry LIKELY.

Here we are months after Riley's remains were recovered, w LE not making any continuing-investigation-type-updates or case-closed-update. Or have I missed them?

Riley's stepfather's musta-been-foul-play-opinion may have been prompted by LE's early stmts which suggested to some ppl that LE was dismissing the disappearance without investigation. But seems imo LE has turned over every rock. ICBW.

Can the second autopsy produce evidence to establish MoD as homicide?
By suing ____, can family & law firm "find answers and obtain justice" for Riley's death?***

____________________________
* "Strain's stepfather, Chris Whiteid, believes there's some form of foul play present. "If he truly fell in the water, and you can prove that to me, show me," he said."
"I'll accept it. But I can tell you from all the stuff that we've done as far as searching, looking, taking pictures — I don't feel like it's really possible to happen. He may have fallen. Somebody helped him in the water."

** Riley Strain’s family: ‘Somebody helped him in the water’

*** From family's atty's stmt, May 10, after county med examiner told announced tox report was complete:
“Morgan & Morgan has been retained by the family of Riley Strain to find answers and obtain justice for their son’s tragic and untimely death. We are in the early stages of our investigation...."
 
Denial of an Obvious Possibility?

Per stepfather, in May 14 MSM.
"If he truly fell in the water... I don't feel like it's really possible to happen." **

"His stepfather believes Strain would have hit his head or suffered other injuries if he had fallen straight down into the water.
“No cuts or scrapes or anything serious like that,” Whiteid said." per NewsNation Ap. 17.**

@branmuffin (TYVM :) posted:
"... he just got unlucky that night..."
Well, I'll add verrry, verrry LIKELY.

Here we are months after Riley's remains were recovered, w LE not making any continuing-investigation-type-updates or case-closed-update. Or have I missed them?

Riley's stepfather's musta-been-foul-play-opinion may have been prompted by LE's early stmts which suggested to some ppl that LE was dismissing the disappearance without investigation. But seems imo LE has turned over every rock. ICBW.

Can the second autopsy produce evidence to establish MoD as homicide?
By suing ____, can family & law firm "find answers and obtain justice" for Riley's death?***

____________________________
* "Strain's stepfather, Chris Whiteid, believes there's some form of foul play present. "If he truly fell in the water, and you can prove that to me, show me," he said."
"I'll accept it. But I can tell you from all the stuff that we've done as far as searching, looking, taking pictures — I don't feel like it's really possible to happen. He may have fallen. Somebody helped him in the water."

** Riley Strain’s family: ‘Somebody helped him in the water’

*** From family's atty's stmt, May 10, after county med examiner told announced tox report was complete:
“Morgan & Morgan has been retained by the family of Riley Strain to find answers and obtain justice for their son’s tragic and untimely death. We are in the early stages of our investigation...."
That company is going to bleed them dry. They are a franchise and run of the mill cases like hit and run, slip and fall scenarios aren't treated the same way a huge case against a multi-million company. I think they prey on the little guy, like Riley's family, for the most part and whatever 'damages' the plaintiff wins will be clawed back in fees, etc. And who are they going to sue, anyway? The bar, the bartender, the police, the coroner, the frat brothers, who?
 
That company is going to bleed them dry. They are a franchise and run of the mill cases like hit and run, slip and fall scenarios aren't treated the same way a huge case against a multi-million company. I think they prey on the little guy, like Riley's family, for the most part and whatever 'damages' the plaintiff wins will be clawed back in fees, etc. And who are they going to sue, anyway? The bar, the bartender, the police, the coroner, the frat brothers, who?

frat brothers parents might have deep pockets JMO
 
I think they are also looking at dollar signs, sadly, along with Mom not wanting to believe her son would put himself in the inebriated state he did. She wants all the good memories.... which i totally get. However this was party trip in nashville. He was a big boy and chose his actions.
 
I don't see the correlation. Just because the family of friends Riley went to bars with are wealthy shouldn't mean they are targeted as being responsible for Riley's death. Unfairly targeting someone can come back to bite the accuser.

I agree they should not be targeted. I was just answering your question as to who they might sue.
 
Target for Lawsuits?
frat brothers parents might have deep pockets JMO
@LadyL

Yes, parents of Riley's frat bro's likely have deeper pockets than the frat bro's themselves.
And if ^ post suggests that if frat bro's are named as individuals in civil lawsuit and are found liable, that their parents MAY PAY or assist paying $ judgment against their sons, yep, that's possible.

There are many cases of local fraternity chapters, frat national orgs, and frat bro's being named in personal injury or wrongful death cases of members, w alcohol consumption causing or contributing to some of those injuries or deaths.

Looking at factors in poss case against the frat bro's themselves.

As other posters noted: many or most of the successful suits involve:
1. under-legal-age drinking by the injured or deceased;
2. official frat event held at frat house or frat-rented premises;
3. the injured or deceased person is a "pledge" and is undergoing "hell week" or equivalent.
4. event occurring at frat already under Uni. or nat'l org. disciplinary watch.
5. frat bro's physically forcing alcohol consumption or drugs, or otherwise pressuring person to consume.
Factors 1, 2, & 3 were not applicable. IDK about #4 & IIRC no info to-date about #5 from MSM.

In gen, imo, lacking most factors for a robust case against the frat bro's.

But suing frat bro's PARENTS as defendants in a wrongful death case or other civil action seems even weaker and more REMOTE in terms of any possible causation of his death imo. Weaker than the frat bro's.

But further info may develop from parent's law firm's investigation. And even possibly by LE? IDK.

Not addressing any poss liability of others who may have deeper pockets than frat bro's parents.
 
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I think they are also looking at dollar signs, sadly, along with Mom not wanting to believe her son would put himself in the inebriated state he did. She wants all the good memories.... which i totally get. However this was party trip in nashville. He was a big boy and chose his actions.
It would seem crass for them to want to profit from their son’s death: could it be the PI and lawyers are seeking to profit, while the parents in their grief are trying to lay blame in order to cope with the fact that the unthinkable happened? Just pondering….
 

-The report showed Strain's blood alcohol level was .228. He also had traces of Delta 9 in his system. Delta 9 is a legal form of THC that is readily available in Tennessee.
 

-The report showed Strain's blood alcohol level was .228. He also had traces of Delta 9 in his system. Delta 9 is a legal form of THC that is readily available in Tennessee.
How high is .228 BAC considered?
EDIT: I just read, nearly 3x legal limit.
So that would mean considerable impairment.
 
I guess, but it’s not very ethical to take advantage of a grieving family. Could he maybe believe there’s cause for doubt?
cause for doubt is not the same as evidence that something else definitely happened.

ex. i could walk outside and tip over my trash can. maybe there are no witnesses. maybe there is some fresh paint on the lid similar to the house being painted, next door. one could theorize - ethically - that maybe a painter walked over and did the deed... maybe even come up with some motive... painter was angry I'd asked him to move his truck away from my driveway... but reality remains that i did it and the paint only dropped when a painter threw away his soda.

one of the things I think is often confused is a discussion about what really and likely happened vs. will a jury see reasonable doubt or can observers just come up with another possible scenario.
 
How high is .228 BAC considered?
EDIT: I just read, nearly 3x legal limit.
So that would mean considerable impairment.
not to be grim, but how does one come up with this number for a body that was laying in a river for two weeks?

i've seen ranges and disputes over BAC levels, in other cases, taken just a handful of hours after the drinking likely stopped and for living people!

* not disputing the number - I think the video shows he was clearly very, very drunk.
 
not to be grim, but how does one come up with this number for a body that was laying in a river for two weeks?

i've seen ranges and disputes over BAC levels, in other cases, taken just a handful of hours after the drinking likely stopped and for living people!

* not disputing the number - I think the video shows he was clearly very, very drunk.
You have to wonder how they can get a reading after 2 weeks in the water, yes. They must have a technique…
 
cause for doubt is not the same as evidence that something else definitely happened.

ex. i could walk outside and tip over my trash can. maybe there are no witnesses. maybe there is some fresh paint on the lid similar to the house being painted, next door. one could theorize - ethically - that maybe a painter walked over and did the deed... maybe even come up with some motive... painter was angry I'd asked him to move his truck away from my driveway... but reality remains that i did it and the paint only dropped when a painter threw away his soda.

one of the things I think is often confused is a discussion about what really and likely happened vs. will a jury see reasonable doubt or can observers just come up with another possible scenario.
All true. I wonder if they intend to take it all the way to court….
 
not to be grim, but how does one come up with this number for a body that was laying in a river for two weeks?

i've seen ranges and disputes over BAC levels, in other cases, taken just a handful of hours after the drinking likely stopped and for living people!

* not disputing the number - I think the video shows he was clearly very, very drunk.
I guess it can vary, but it's going to be pretty close to what it actually was at the time of death. That's really drunk for someone who probably doesn't get drunk like that often.

Usually those calculations are done in things like DUI accidents, and the dispute comes from determining the BAC level at that point, sometimes hours later.
 
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