ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A lawyer for one of the teens accused of starting a violent fight, which killed a Winter Park High School student, claims the victim’s family is going too far to avenge the teen’s death.
Three teens have been charged and convicted in the 2016 death of 15-year-old Roger Trindade. Now, a civil wrongful death lawsuit is working its way through the court system. Court records show Trindade’s parents are suing just about everyone involved in the case, including the city of Winter Park, Orange County Public Schools, five teenagers involved and their parents.
“We have a plaintiff who has filed a lawsuit against 16 different defendants,” said Katherine Shadwick, who represents George Barnikel.
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Barnikel allegedly started a series of events with a teenage prank, ending in Trindade’s death.
In October 2016, Winter Park police said Trindade was sprayed with skunk spray as a prank. When Trindade confronted them, another teen then called Simeon Hall and Jesse Sutherland, who beat Trindade unconscious in downtown Winter Park's Central Park. Trindade was removed from life support following a two-day hospitalization.
“[Barnikel] was the one that sprayed Roger Trindade and his friends with what was called Ass Spray,” Shadwick told the judge. “That’s what it’s called because that’s pretty much how the stuff smells.”
Shadwick said the lawsuit fails to make a connection between Barnikel’s actions and Trindade’s death.
“There’s no allegation of my client having done anything other than spraying that substance,” Shadwick said.
Previous coverage: Parents of Winter Park teen beaten to death file massive lawsuit
The Barnikel family, the city of Winter Park, and the Orange County Public Schools are asking to be removed from the lawsuit.
Hall and Sutherland were tried as adults, but a judge sentenced them as juveniles.
“We probably wouldn’t be standing here having this conversation right now if the family were satisfied that justice was done,” said Trindade family attorney Steven Kirschner.
The judge has not yet made a decision on whether to clear any defendants from the lawsuit.
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