The Bakersfield Track Club has agreed to a five-month trial continuance in the wrongful death of Benjamin Greene, according to a law firm representing Greene’s family.
The Dubin Law Firm said the decision on the trial, which was set to return to court in March, was made after the Kern County Grand Jury found in a recent report on the Coroner’s Office that there were “inadequate standards” during the time of Greene’s autopsy.
The firm said the trial continuance will allow Greene’s widow and nine children time to investigate the report, which said that the department has been operating in 1970s infrastructure and needs to expand to meet the needs of a growing population.
The department has also been experiencing significant staff turnover and employees said they were burned out.
The firm said the report supports the case that the county conducted a false positive drug test on Mr. Greene after he died during a Bakersfield Track Club run during 110-degree heat in 2017.
No illegal drugs were ever found on Greene following his death, nor were any drugs found in his car or office.
The Bakersfield Track Club has admitted they knew the run was unsafe for their participants and that they were aware there is no place in the state where participants could train to be fit to run in 105 degrees or more, the firm said.
Since the death, Bakersfield Track Club no longer operates events in weather above 105 degrees.
Greene’s family sued the Bakersfield Track Club in 2018.
February 10, 2020
KGET.com
By Joseph Luiz
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