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Bar owner charged after his customer dies drinking 56 shots

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The owner of Le Starter bar in central France stood trial on Monday (May 4) for manslaughter charges after a customer died drinking 56 alcoholic shots in one night.

In October 2014, the 57-year-old customer named Renaud was trying to break the bar's previous record of 55 shots consumed in one evening, newspaper The Telegraph reported.

Renaud downed 30 shots in one minute, which was chalked on the blackboard behind the bar.

After he downed the 56th shot (one more than the record), he had to be carried home where he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital.

He died the next day. 

Only 12 shots to go

The bar owner now stands accused of "manslaughter through willful neglect".

According to the lawyer of Renaud's daughter, the bartender was seen at one point whispering into the victim's ear that he had only 12 shots to go.

The lawyer said to BFM TV:

"It was a case of inciting someone to consume.
"That's an extremely serious mistake for a bar owner."

The bar owner's defence?

According to his lawyer, the owner conceded that chalking the number of shots downed was a mistake but insisted that no one forced the victim to take up the challenge.

The defendant's lawyer added: "The customers are responsible for themselves as are their families and friends."

Sources: Telegraph, BFM TV

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