by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

LOS ANGELES–Bryan Stow the San Francisco Giants fan and his friends who were taunted during a Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers game at Dodgers Stadium on opening night March 31, 2011 and later beaten after the game by. The beating went unnoticed by police or security personnel that left Stow permenantly brain damaged after receiving kicking blows to the head that evening.

Stow and his friends were under attack from Dodger fans Louie Sanchez and Marvin Norwood who later admitted guilt in the beating. Stow and his family sued the Dodgers because of a lack of security in the area during the beating, the Stows sued for $18 million. The jury found the Dodgers guilty for 25 percent of the damages to Stow and that Norwood and Sanchez would be split the rest of the sum between them.

The Dodgers would be in for $14 million plus an extra $1 million for the pain and suffering caused to Stow, Stow attorney Tom Girardi had asked for double that amount. The trial lasted for weeks before the jury deliberated on a verdict. The jury made it’s decision based on Girardi being able to establish the lack of security in the Dodgers parking lot.

The Dodgers attorney Dana Fox said that the Dodgers had provided extra security that night because of it being opening night of the 2011 season. Fox said that the Dodgers provided the most intense security in the team’s history demonstrating payroll sheets as to the security personnel roster as to who was on duty that night.

Girardi argued be it as it may there was a lack of security in the part of the parking lot where Stow was beaten which was the negligence found against the Dodgers. Girardi explained that the Dodgers mere budget cuts or trimming of security that night costed Stow to be beaten to near death, “The Dodgers own pocketbook prevented them from providing proper security.” Girardi provided the jury a chart of the team’s budget for that night which came out to 62 cents per each fan in attendance which translates to a lack of security in the parking lot.

Fox argued that Stow was responsible for his beating by baiting and arguing with Norwood and Sanchez during the game “there were three parties responsible Sanchez, Norwood and unfortunately Stow himself, There were things that Mr.Stow did that put these things into action” said Fox. It was reported that all three had been drinking.

Girardi during the trial displayed how fans and the culture of Dodgers fans would be there to brawl during the McCourt years. Fans were not there for baseball they were there to drink, get drunk and fight. Girardi also said that beer sales were off the charts. Girardi reportedly was able to demonstrate the number of security and police calls that they received from fans who were involved or who reported fights in the stands or in the parking lot previous to the Stow beating.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV voice for L.A. Angels baseball and does News and Commentary each week for http://www.sportsradioservice.com