GARRETT HUGHES’ FAMILY FILES WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT

Murder Suspect Preston Brewer Has Bond Hearing On April 26

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com members on the dais. At a March meeting, the LPA voted 7-0 to recommend the council keep the current procedure. LPA members believed the village needed robust advertising for the open committee seats.

In the end, the council took a different stance from the LPA and elected to change the selection process. The council will evaluate the process in two years. Committee selections would take place during a council meeting in May of each year. No member can serve more than two consecutive terms, unless there’s a four-fifths vote to approve reappointment for additional consecutive terms.

Under the new ordinance, the mayor will annually appoint a council member to serve as a liaison to better connect the dais and the committee.

Mahoney said she’d like to see the village create a handbook that outlines each committee and its objectives.

While relatives, friends and supporters prepare to celebrate the life of the late Garrett Hughes with a benefit concert on Saturday, April 8 at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater, Hughes’ accused killer, Lloyd Preston Brewer III, is preparing for a bond hearing on Wednesday, April 26 at 9 a.m. in the county courthouse.

Brewer, 57, has been in jail since the Feb. 13 shooting death of Hughes, who was 21 when he was shot in the parking lot of Conch Town Liquor & Lounge on North Roosevelt Boulevard in Key West, a few hours after the Super Bowl had ended.

Brewer, whose family owns the building that houses the bar, faces felony murder and firearms charges.

While the criminal case works its way through the courts, Hughes’ father, John Hughes, has filed a civil suit against Brewer; his father, Bud Brewer; the family’s trust; and the property it owns.

In the civil suit, John Hughes’ attorney, Stuart Grossman, states that Brewer and the other defendants had a duty to maintain a safe and secure premises, and to warn people of any reasonably foreseeable dangers and risks.

Grossman claims the defendants were derelict in this duty given their knowledge of Lloyd Preston Brewer’s “history of violence and weapons possession.”

In addition, the suit states, “The (defendants) furnished alcohol to defendant Brewer III, who became intoxicated. At the time of the incident, defendant Brewer III was habitually addicted to alcohol.”

Grossman told the Keys Weekly on April 6, “The Hughes family wishes to express to the entire Key West com-

Lloyd Preston Brewer III, 57, faces felony murder and firearms charges for the Feb. 13 shooting death of Garrett Hughes, 21, outside a Key West bar.

MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE/ Contributed munity its deep appreciation for the outpouring of love, kindness and sympathy it has received over the senseless loss of their beloved son Garrett. We will work tirelessly as their lawyers to bring Preston Brewer to justice and we know the State Attorney’s office will do the same.”

No bond was granted upon Brewer’s arrest, and he has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor Joe Mansfield has said he fully expects some type of self-defense or mental deficiency argument from Brewer’s defense attorneys, but added that the bar’s security video from that night does not support any self-defense claim.

Hughes, his brother and friends were reportedly drinking at the bar on Super Bowl Sunday, as was Brewer. After midnight, Brewer reportedly exited the bar and saw a shirtless and intoxicated Hughes allegedly urinating outside on the building. A short verbal exchange ended when Brewer allegedly pulled a gun and shot Hughes in his abdomen. He died later at Lower Keys Medical Center.

Keys Weekly

By: Tracy and Sean McDonald

The Scoreboard Sophia Felini

This Week In Keys Sports

Senior, Key West Lacrosse

Conchs midfielder Sophia Felini has been making a name for herself, scoring 11 goals, causing seven turnovers, and amassing 20 ground balls and 12 draw controls so far this season. Described by head coach Marissa Giacopuzzi as aggressive with incredible speed, Felini “doesn’t shy away from the ball, from defenders or a challenge. She practices at 100%, 100% of the time.”

Recently, she stepped up for Key West in a five-game winning streak and helped keep her team in the game until the very end in the Conchs’ only loss since March 3. For her fiercely competitive play and willingness to leave it all on the field for her team, Sophia Felini is this week’s Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.

By: Tracy and Sean McDonald

Mikkel Ross is strong both mentally and physically, analyzing her own performance critically and making it known that she will not be outworked. Discovering weightlifting while recovering from ACL surgery, the junior quickly became a force for the Lady Fins, earning district championships in both the Olympic and traditional events. She then turned her focus toward regionals, where she took the runner-up spot for Olympic lifting and third-place medal in traditional. At the FHSAA 1A State Championships, she placed seventh in Olympic lifts and fifth in traditional, bringing home the Keys’ only medal from the state competition.

The freshman Fin phenom won two district championship medals in Olympic and traditional lifting, then brought home third- and fourth-place medals from regionals in the events. At states, she cracked the top 10 in both styles, finishing eighth in Olympic and ninth in traditional.

Dunn earned a district championship in traditional lifting and finished fourth in Olympic lifts. At regionals, she secured fifth-place awards in both, earning her a trip to states, where she finished 12th in Olympic lifting and 13th in traditional.

Brabenec won double district championships, then double runner-up medals at regionals, making her the Keys’ only three-time state-qualifying female weightlifter thus far.

Hitchcock’s strength and agility from years of dance paired well with the skills required for lifting, giving her an edge. She placed third and fifth in traditional and Olympic lifts, respectively, at regionals, and 15th in the state for traditional lifting.