The family of Darryl Rudolph is grieving the loss of the 55-year old father and husband who was killed by a discharged firearm that was negligently handled by another man at close quarters while he was on a job at a notorious West Palm Beach strip club.
That man, Defendant Paul Senat, now faces manslaughter charges for his “reckless disregard for human life”, according to a Sherriff’s report, in what Prosecutors are labeling a homicide. The incident occurred at Sugar Daddy’s, a West Palm Beach gentlemen’s establishment, where Mr. Rudolph was working as a part-time handyman.
This terrible incident does make for a good wrongful death case: there is clear liability on the part of Mr. Senate, as well as the owners of the club, which somehow figured it was appropriate to keep a high-powered weapon unsecured on a shelf in a storage room.
The clear liability in this potential Wrongful Death case
The laws of Florida provide surviving family members with the legal mechanisms to hold individuals and business liable when a negligent act directly results in the death of a loved one. In order for a wrongful death case to be valid, there must be clear liability, damages, and eligible survivors.
In the case of Mr. Rudolph’s homicide, the liability rests squarely on the shoulder of the owners of the club, and Mr. Senat personally. A wrongful death suit filed by experienced personal injury attorneys on behalf of the family could help answer some really basic but important questions, such as why was there an AK-47 sitting on a shelf? How did it go off? Why was the Defendant toying with the rifle in the first place?
Surviving family members with rights under the wrongful death laws of Florida might include Mr. Rudolph’s spouse, and his children. They deserve an opportunity to use the court system to hold those who caused this outrageous act and the loss of a precious loss of a relatively young father and husband responsible.
Sugar Daddy’s is rife with legal liabilities and incidents
This isn’t the first-time Sugar Daddy’s has been in the news for legal and liability issues…far from it. According to the Palm Beach Post, in just a four-month span, the Sherriff’s office was dispatched to the run-down strip club at least 72 times.
Less than a year ago, the establishment made local headlines when a 21-year old standout football star was murdered on his way home from Sugar Daddy’s. That homicide remains unsolved.
In October of 2016, police investigated a shooting that occurred outside the club early on a Sunday morning. No witnesses ever came forward, and the perpetrator was never found.
It’s about time someone steps in and holds brazen owners of this club responsible for its egregious acts of negligence and liabilities, and the dangers their continued operation poses to future patrons.
If you or someone you know was injured or killed at or near the premises of Sugar Daddy’s strip club in West Palm Beach, we encourage you to give our office a call for a free consultation to find out how we may be able to help you find closure. The call is free, and there is no obligation or up-front cost to hire our law firm to work on your case.