Albany dodges $10 million settlement in nightclub shooting

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - The city of Albany dodged a more than 10 million dollar settlement Monday.

This comes after an order to pay a night club shooting victim’s parents for failing to shut down the illegal venue in 2010.

While the city said they are elated to not be paying that fee, the other side said they are disappointed with the court’s decision but hopes this will make the city pay more attention to its businesses.

Over a course of nearly 10 years, one family has fought a legal battle with the city of Albany over the nightclub shooting death of their son.

“It’s very unfortunate the death, but there was no way to connect the city,” said Albany City Attorney Nathan Davis.

Davis said this after after the Georgia Supreme Court denied to hear the case.

“Other side of case went to Supreme Court but they don’t have the right in a civil action like this to appeal as a matter of rights and you have to have to ask for the Supreme Courts permission,” said Davis.

Attorney Virgil Adams said that this was an issue that needed to be clarified in the state.

“Although we are disappointed in the court’s decision, we hope that we have brought attention to this kind of issues and the city of Albany now looks at its licenses more carefully,” said Adams.

This appeal states that the plaintiffs allege that Brick City was listed as a recording studio, but was actually a nightclub crawling with illegal activity.

That's where Davis says is the disconnect.

“This was privately owned property and a third party committed the injury on privately owned property. It wasn’t a city facility of any type,” said Davis.

“We again think that this is a case that should’ve been litigated and that the conduct of the city of Albany is what caused this young man’s death,” said Adams.

Both attorneys agree they don’t want something like this to happen in the Albany again, but of course feel different about the outcome.

We are told that a member of the Stanford family was notified of the court’s decision.

Adams said this should serve as a wake up call to the city and its businesses.

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