Driver Convicted of Manslaughter Sues Parents of Slain Teen

There’s callous, there’s heartless, and then there’s this.

Via former Streetsblog.net writer Sarah Goodyear, now at GRIST, comes the surreal story of a driver who was convicted of manslaughter for running down Matthew Kenney from behind.  From his jail cell, David Weaving, who has been found guilty of drunk driving four times and was traveling at 83 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone at the time, is suing the Kenney’s parents for negligence because their son was not wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.

Goodyear, quoting an article in the Sacramento Bee, reports:

Attorney Andrew Cates calls Weaving’s countersuit a part of the legal process. Cates is representing Weaving in appeals aimed at overturning his convictions — which were recently upheld by the state Appellate Court — but is not involved with the lawsuit involving the Kenneys.

“I can see their side of it. I’m a parent,” Cates said. “But I can also see the other side of it. If you’re driving down the street and your car makes contact with a pedestrian and you think it’s the pedestrian’s fault, you have to raise the issue.”