A Texas jury on Thursday returned a $25 million verdict against former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent and the owner of a nightclub in the death of Brent's teammate, Jerry Brown Jr., WFAA reported.
Jurors in the civil case in Dallas County found that Beamers nightclub in Dallas was partly to blame for overserving Brent on Dec. 8, 2012, and he left the club drunk and crashed, killing Brown, the Dallas Morning News reported.
Beamers and Brent shared nearly half the blame in the incident -- 48 percent each -- with the other 4 percent assessed to Brown, WFAA reported.
Beamers has since closed and representatives of the nightclub could not be reached for comment, the television station reported.
Brent was found guilty of intoxication manslaughter in 2014 and was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years of probation.
"I'm sure Jerry's looking down and happy," Stacey Jackson, Brown's mother, told the Morning News after the verdict. She told the newspaper that some of the money will go toward a nonprofit organization dedicated to her son.
There were no punitive damages, the newspaper reported.
Jackson and Brown's estate had sought up to $95 million in damages, mostly from the bar and management company, the Morning News reported.
Brown, 25, a linebacker, played one season in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts. The Cowboys signed Brown as a free agent in October 2012. The University of Illinois alumnus also played in the Arena Football League and the Canadian Football League before signing with the Colts in early 2012.
Brent, 30 played four seasons with the Cowboys from 2010 to 2014.
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