Mallory Beach family wants $15 million settlement in boat crash suit to send a message
The Mallory Beach family wants their settlement reached Sunday, July 16, to send a message.
According to Beach family attorney Mark Tinsley, the family will receive a settlement of $15 million in their wrongful death suit against Parker's convenience store.
The settlement halts the trial scheduled for Aug. 14 in Hampton County.
Tinsley said the Beach family purposefully wanted the details of the settlement to be made public.
"It wasn't about the money, but that's a number that represents a level of accountability that they hope would make people who sell alcohol take their responsibility seriously and keep it out of the hands of minors," Tinsley said Sunday night in a phone interview. "The Beach family didn't want this settlement confidential because they want other 'Greg Parker's' to know, that if you sell alcohol illegally, you will be held accountable."
Beach died in February 2019 after a boat owned by convicted family killer, Alex Murdaugh, and allegedly piloted by his intoxicated son, Paul Murdaugh, crashed into bridge structures along Archers Creek in Beaufort County.
Mallory's mother, Renee Beach, filed the first version of a wrongful death suit against Murdaugh and other parties they felt were responsible for her daughter's death in March of 2019. While Paul Murdaugh was criminally charged, he was murdered, along with his mother, Maggie, before he could stand trial.
Murdaugh is accused of allowing and condoning his son's excessive alcohol use and reckless boating, while Parker is accused of selling the alcohol to the underaged boaters.
Tinsley said the settlement with Parker's was reached around 6 p.m. Sunday. He said the case against Murdaugh should be resolved soon.
"Tears were shared in our room with the Beaches this afternoon. They feel like they have honored Mallory by not walking away when it would have been easier to give up," Tinsley said. "They've been attacked, accused and blamed. From an emotional standpoint, there's a lot of vindication in this settlement."
Tinsley said Sunday's settlement does not stop the civil conspiracy and harassment case he has filed against Parker’s for the Beach family.
"We have not settled the consipiracy case against Greg Parker and the other people involved with their vile attacks against the Beach family and their quest to get justice. We intend to hold Greg Parker personally responsible in that lawsuit," Tinsley added.
Check back for updates.
Follow Michael DeWitt's reporting as The Hampton County Guardian/Greenville News and the USA Today Network continue to follow this developing legal case, and you can follow DeWitt on Facebook and on Twitter at @mmdewittjr for the latest updates.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Beach family receives $15 million in boat crash wrongful death suit
