$24-$34M Sought in Entercom Wrongful-Death Suit

RADIO ONLINE | , , | :am CT

Lawyers in the wrongful death suit against Entercom and KDND-FM/Sacramento, asked the jury Tuesday to award between $24.62 million and $34.45 million for the loss of the love, comfort and support of Jennifer Strange. Attorney Roger Dreyer also asked the jurors to award Strange's older son, Keegan Sims, another $1.88 million in economic damages.

"Understand the value of a mother," Dreyer told the Sacramento Superior Court jury. "Understand appreciate the value of a mother, a lover, a companion and a best friend."

"You get to decide what the standards are in this community, how radio station personnel are going to operate and how a company like Entercom is going to train its personnel," Dreyer said during his closing arguments.

Dreyer added that if the employees of Entercom's KDND were negligent on the day of the contest, and if they were acting in the scope of their employment, then the corporate defendants also are responsible and that they should be held liable for Strange's death.

Dreyer made the request on behalf of Jennifer Strange's husband, Billy Strange, 30, and their two children, Ryland, 6, and Jorie, 3.

Strange, 28, died of water intoxication in January, 2007, after finishing second in KDND-FM (107.9 The End)'s "Hold Your Wee For a Wii," the now infamous bladder buster stunt put together by the Morning Rave.

Previously, an economist estimated the present cash value of Strange's death, had she worked until the age of 62, at $1.88 million. That only takes into account lost wages, lost benefits and lost of household services and not pain and suffering and emotional loss. (10-06-09)