Dodgers Stadium Victim Bryan Stow 'Basically Gone'

Bryan Stow was brutally attacked in a parking lot at Dodgers Stadium in March. From most accounts, the senseless beating was brought on simply because Stow, 42, is a Giants fan.

The crime occurred in a stadium parking lot after an opening game between the Dodgers and the Giants. Stow, a paramedic, was wearing Giants gear.

The Giants had lost the game against the Dodgers. As Stow walked back to his car with a group of friends, two Dodgers fans approached him, shouted an insult against the Giants, and then knocked him to the ground, reports The Los Angeles Times. Stow fell down and cracked his skull against the pavement.

The resulting brain injury has left him in a coma. Surrounded by his family, they are all praying for a miracle, according to The Los Angeles Times. Doctors have only given him a slim chance of recovery.

The culprits escaped moments after the attack in a car. They still have not been identified, reports KTLA-TV.

Some have wondered if the Dodgers organization is legally liable. In 2009, the Dodgers eliminated uniformed police officers at games. The off-duty officers that work the games, up to 60 a game, instead wear light blue polo shirts. Officers say that the lack of uniforms draws from their authority.

In April, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said he would start hiring uniformed off-duty LAPD officers to work at the games. Was this spurred by the vicious attack on Stow?

Stadiums, like most places of businesses, are supposed to offer its guests some level of security and safety. Under a theory of premises liability, property owners are legally responsible for accidents or injuries that occur on their property. Usually, these injuries or accidents must be those that the property owner could reasonably foresee.

If the mix of alcohol and rowdy fans was likely - or reasonable - to cause violence, the stadium owners might be found liable for any injury that occurs, including Stow's.

While any increase in security or finding of legal liability probably will not do much to comfort Bryan Stow's family, at the very least it might be able to prevent future violence.

Related Resources:

• Bryan Stow's Family Says 'He's Basically Gone' (KTLA)
• Premises Liability - Overview (FindLaw)
• SF Giants boost security for post-attack LA games (AP)