The family of Geraldine Carmouche, who was killed by a tandem float during a parade in New Orleans on Feb. 19, 2020, is suing the city, the parade company and its captain for wrongful death, alleging negligence.
Carmouche, 58, was killed during the NYX Parade when she attempted to cross the street between two floats connected in tandem.
Titled the Mystic Krewe of NYX, the parade is an all-woman Mardi Gras-related parade that features women of diverse backgrounds. NYX is the name of the ancient Greek goddess of the night.
The allegation filed by Carmouche’s family charges that the space between the two floats connected in tandem should have been enclosed off with a plainly visible barrier as required by a city ordinance.
The eight-page lawsuit filed in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court is demanding damages from Nix and its founder and captain Julie Lea, the City of New Orleans, the float’s owner and its driver. The death was the first of two fatalities. Three days later, a 58 year-old man fell under a tandem float at the Krewe of Endymion parade.
Douglas Sunseri the Metairie-based corporate attorney for NYX told the Louisiana Record the plaintiffs will have to prove gross negligence instead of regular negligence, which is a higher burden.
“The insurance companies for NYX will be dealing with it (case) appropriately,” he said. “There is zero basis for a claim against Julie Lea. She should not be named (in the suit).”
Sunseri said he would defend Lee against the allegations.
“My role is to make sure Julie (Lea) is removed from the suit as soon as possible,” he said.
Sunseri added that if regular negligence was used instead of gross negligence, the parade would be sued to the point it would be put out of business.
“It would be continually sued if there was no Mardi Gras statute,” he said.
Sunseri estimated because of numerous legal actions and pre-trial motions the case could take up to five years to resolve.