Jurors found former Cowboys defensive lineman Josh Brent partially to blame for the death of a former teammate in 2012, according to the Dallas Morning News.
The civil court jury awarded Jerry Brown’s mother and his estate $25 million Thursday. Jurors found Beamers nightclub 48 percent responsible for overserving Brent and Brent 48 percent responsible for driving drunk, with the final 4 percent lying with Brown.
Brown was a practice squad player with the Cowboys.
Brown’s mother, Stacey Jackson, said some of the money will go toward a nonprofit organization dedicated to her son.
“I’m sure Jerry’s looking down and happy,” Jackson said, via the newspaper.
Brent’s blood alcohol level was 0.18 percent — more than twice the legal driving limit — when he flipped his Mercedes on a Dallas-area highway while going at least 110 mph in a 45 mph zone. Brown, a passenger in the car, died.
Jackson testified at Brent’s criminal trial that she had forgiven him.
A jury found Brent guilty of intoxicated manslaughter, and he was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years’ probation. He spent five months in jail, spending the final 45 days of his sentence in an alcohol and drug rehabilitation center.
After his sentencing, Jackson said, “He’s still responsible, but you can’t go on in life holding a grudge. We all make mistakes.”
Brent returned to the NFL in 2014 but played only one game, and the Cowboys hired him in their scouting department in 2015.