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Posted by: rg1283

Apr 11, 2006

Suit filed in Clark heroin death

Bash lawsuit names school, boyfriend

By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
scroteau@telegram.com
WORESTER— The family of a Clark University student who died in 2004 from a heroin overdose on campus filed a lawsuit claiming their daughter’s death could have been avoided if college officials kept drugs out of the school and assisted students in need.

The 21-page wrongful death action filed by Michele C. Bash’s family in Worcester Superior Court Friday names the university, president John E. Bassett, dean of students Denise Darrigrand, chief of campus police Stephen P. Goulet and other school officials.

The suit also names Matthew Book, Ms. Bash’s boyfriend at the time of her death, claiming he bought the heroin March 1 and provided it to his 18-year-old girlfriend. The two fell asleep in Ms. Bash’s Johnson Hall room, but Mr. Book could not awaken her the next morning. She was a freshman at the time of her death.

Elaine Cinelli, vice president for public affairs, said the university had no comment on the lawsuit because officials have not yet seen it.

Ms. Bash’s father, Daniel, who lives in Queens, N.Y., is critical of the university’s police, services for troubled students and policies in the parents’ handbook.

The suit claims campus police were called in September 2003 when Ms. Bash was so drunk she repeatedly vomited in a dormitory bathroom. The suit further claims Ms. Bash’s residential adviser and other school officials were concerned for Ms. Bash during the school year, but never met with her. The suit claims officials thought the aspiring film maker was drinking, upset and needed to be spoken with.

“They want Clark to respond to the lack of follow up,” the family’s Boston lawyer, Jeffrey Petrucelly, said yesterday. “She slipped through the crack several times.”

Ms. Bash admitted to her parents she experimented with heroin after her parents found entries in her online diary referring to drug use, the lawsuit said. The family said they would pull her from the school if she used drugs again.

The family believed the university had a strong support system for students and relied on the university to take care of their daughter, Mr. Petrucelly said. The parents’ handbook said the university would give students a safe environment, something the family believes did not happen, the lawyer said.

Ms. Darrigrand allegedly met with Ms. Bash in December 2003 when she heard the student was connected with drug use on campus, Mr. Petrucelly said. Ms. Bash denied using drugs, but according to the suit, she bought the heroin from other Clark students.

The suit paints the area around Clark University as “known to have a problem with illegal narcotics.” Clark reported there were 22 on-campus drug related violations in 2001; 56 violations in 2002; 39 violations in 2003; and 49 violations in 2004.

“Although Clark University and its administrators took action to expel some of the students involved in the sale or possession of heroin on campus immediately after the death of Michele Bash, this was too little, too late,” Mr. Petrucelly said. “The fact is, this horrible tragedy for the Bash family could have been prevented if Clark University had simply taken some action to keep drugs and drug dealers off campus and to assist students crying out for help.”

Worcester police Sgt. Timothy O’Connor said Clark University is in the area of Main South, known for being a high drug activity area. Heroin could be more available off campus because of the location, he said.

“The Clark campus police have been very proactive,” the sergeant said “They’ll call the vice squad when there is a situation.”

Clark is the only college that called him and asked him to give drug talks to incoming students, campus police and residential advisers, Sgt. O’Connor said.

Ms. Bash allegedly told Ms. Darrigrand and the associate dean of students in February 2004 that she had tried heroin, but it made her sick, the lawsuit said. Ms. Bash allegedly said she was not using drugs anymore.

The lawsuit claims university officials did not monitor Ms. Bash’s health or well-being after the alleged meeting with the dean. Emily Bash, Ms. Bash’s mother, allegedly called the dean and asked how the meeting with her daughter went, according to the lawsuit. The suit claims Ms. Darrigrand said she was going to get rid of the heroin on campus.

The family filed the suit because they are afraid other students might be taking hard drugs or abusing alcohol on campus, Mr. Petrucelly said.

“They want Clark to take more responsibility to take care of the young college-aged students coming in,” he said. “The parents are still grieving from the loss of their daughter.”

The family is asking for money to be paid for hospital, funeral and burial expenses and for pain and suffering.

The lawsuit also mentions compensatory damages for the loss of expected income, services, protection, care, assistance, companionship, comfort and advice of Ms. Bash. The family is also seeking punitive damages.

Posted by: rg1283

Another Law Suit that is going to get no where. Its going to put the family through unacceptable financial hardship after lawyers fees, etc. Drug dealers don't wear uniforms saying they are such. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Posted by: Deuce

It's always someone elses fault....

Posted by: EOD1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deuce

It's always someone elses fault....

no kidding!!! what BS, the family will probally win an insane amount of money cause their kid couldn't keep a needle outta her arm. maybe the school should file suit against the parents for doing a shitty job raising their kid and use the money to start a drug counseling program.

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