A woman that succumbed to her injuries six months after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head, is at the center of a wrongful death lawsuit filed against her former boyfriend, who also has a history as a victim, as reported by the Daily Record.
B.L., while in his parent’s home on Glenbrook Road, allegedly shot his girlfriend, N.P., on September 6, 2010.
N.P., 22, grew up in Parsippany and was employed as a hair stylist at DePasquale The Spa prior to the shooting.
On March 6, 2011 N.P. died as a result, per her death certificate, of a “perforating gunshot wound of the head.” Attorney Gregg Trautmann, who filed the suit in state Superior Court, Morristown, said that the manner is listed as “pending investigation.”
Prosecutor’s Office Captain Jeffrey Paul said that the investigation, though never publicly reported by police or the Morris Count Prosecutor’s office, is continuing.
N.P.’s mother, I.P., filed the suit on behalf of herself and the victim’s two sisters. She is asking for compensatory and punitive damages.
Named in the suit along with B.L. are his parents, K.G. and M.G. None of the three defendants were available for comment. Joel Harris, the attorney for B.L. in connection with the police department’s investigation, said that he couldn’t comment on the lawsuit but that his client knew of the likelihood of its filing.
Trautmann claims that B.L. was reckless, negligent, or wanton and willful in his actions, but didn’t charge that B.L. murdered N.P.
The suit reads: “(B.L.) was in exclusive control of the firearm which discharged and shot (N.P.) in the head.”
After the shooting incident, B.L. allegedly told police officers different stories as to how N.P. was shot. In one scenario he said he wasn’t present in the house during the shooting, in another he said he held the semi-automatic handgun when it discharged. He further claimed that the firing of the weapon caused him to fall backwards – and that act caused the weapon to fire a second time.
Two shots were allegedly fired in the home. The second shot was the one that struck N.P. in the head.
The lawsuit continued: “At the time (N.P.) was shot in the head she was a young woman with a wonderfully positive outlook and a love and a zest for life not exceeded by any person.”
B.L.’s own history of being a victim occurred in 2006 when an associate beat him so harshly that he sustained eight fractures in his face. Among the fractures he suffered were a crushed orbital socket and broken nose. He now has three titanium plates and screws that had to be surgically inserted into his face.
However, seven witnesses testified that B.L. started the fight that began when B.L. said degrading things about the other man’s girlfriend.
Contact a personal injury lawyer if you have a wrongful death lawsuit to file. Oftentimes monetary awards are made for your damages.