Dan Harrington, father of the late Morgan Harrington, announced in an email Tuesday the Harrington family will file an amended civil lawsuit against defendant Regional Marketing Concepts, Inc. for negligence the night of their daughter’s disappearance at John Paul Jones Arena in 2009.
Morgan, a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student at the time, was reported missing after leaving a Metallica concert at JPJ in October, 2009. Her body was found in January, 2010 in the field of an Albemarle County farm.
The suit provides previously unreleased details about Morgan’s condition when she left JPJ following the concert.
“Since the original suit was filed, investigation has produced further information about the events preceding Morgan’s death,” said Lee Livingston, the Harrington’s attorney, in a press release. “The Amended Complaint uses this new information to make more specific allegations.”
After leaving her seat to use the restroom during the concert, Morgan suffered an unexplained head injury and two- to three-inch cut on her chin with substantial bleeding, according to the lawsuit. Harrington, unable to help herself, was assisted by a bystander. The bystander noted Harrington did not smell of alcohol, was conscious and appeared extremely disoriented.
“Occasions will arise when young women need others to attend to them and offer reasonable care to them,” Livingston said. “This case may shed light on whether others who saw [Morgan] in distress acted in ways to keep her out of harm’s way.”
Morgan soon after left the concert, through doors guarded by contracted event services and security provider RMC, according to the suit. RMC denied Harrington re-entry to the venue, creating a barrier between her and the assistance of her friends or medical services, according to the suit.
The Harringtons argue that not only did RMC breach common law duty to provide reasonable care to ill, injured or otherwise debilitated patrons, but also violated general protocol. In many other instances concert attendees have been allowed re-entrance after, for example, visiting the parking lot to retrieve a wallet, according to the suit.
The Harrington family said they feel RMC’s negligence was a direct cause of the abduction and murder of their daughter, and are seeking $3.9 million in damages.
“We hope this action will keep a spotlight on finding a killer, while also encouraging those who can help a vulnerable person to pause — and lend a hand when they are able to reach out,” Livingston said.
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