“The perfect explosion”, which accuse lawyers of the mayor, bar for the death of the former New Bedford Fire Chiefs

New Bedford, Massachusetts (WLNE) – Two years after New Bedford's former reigning fire chief was shot by the police in Fairhaven, two lawsuits go through the court system.

Paul Coder was shot by the police in the Bayside Lounge after shot against civil servants in 2023.

The lawyers of the Coder, David Hoey and Phil Beauregard family, submitted a lawsuit against the lounge last week and said the restaurant had a certain responsibility for the death of Coder.

“The bar cannot legally serve alcohol for a visibly intoxicated person, that's illegal,” said Hoey. “If you do this and something happens, you hurt yourself or hurt someone, that is feasible.”

The most recent lawsuit draws up an existing case of the civil conspiracy, which brings the family's lawyers against the city of New Bedford and Mayor Jon Mitchell.

They say that everything was escalated in 2022 when the city was released by the city and the mayor's office said that he was dishonested about working injuries.

“The behavior and actions of the mayor and the city developed into a point where Mr. Coderre was extremely stressed, depressed, embarrassed and humiliated,” said Hoey. “Because things that were done and said were not true.”

The city commissioned private detections to pursue a codre while he had a disability and caught a video of him on how he moved a 176 pound grill from his truck.

“They followed him for weeks and ended up with some difficulties with him and removed a grill from the back of his truck,” said Beauregard.

“But as the doctors told him that he could move and raise things,” added Hoey.

The Commission for the Public Service found that Coder was illegally terminated.

“They continued to find that the motive existed that this was a pre -conditioned decision by the city and the mayor to either end it for political reasons or because they wanted to pull other people up to the fire brigade leaders,” said Hoey.

According to the family's legal team, after the Codre found out that the city was planning to make the decision that he was wrongly terminated, he went to the Bayside Lounge.

“The mayor started the fire,” said Hoey. “The pole put petrol on the fire.”

The lawyers said that Coder had drunk at the bar for several hours before they were unrivaled with the police.

He was shot after shooting an Acushnet police officer and the public prosecutor's office of the Bristol district later published a report in which the officials acted appropriately in the incident.

“He was a moderate drinker,” said Beauregard. “It became a problem that moved at the end of December 2023.”

“They add this to the humiliation and the embarrassment and the fact that the city spoke to its victory in front of the Commission for Public Services, it was the perfect explosion,” continued Hoey.

In a statement, the city's lawyer described the claims against the mayor “unfounded” and said partially:

“The complaint is unfounded. Under the circumstances, the termination of Paul Coder was appropriate and legally justified.”

ABC6 also turned to the Bayside lounge, but did not hear back until Tuesday evening.

Both lawyers said the case was more than just money.

“The name Coderre in the Community was a strong name for honesty and family,” said Hoey. “And the conflict with the mayor escalated into this event and escalated into his death.”

The case of the civil conspiracy and defamation was in court on Tuesday, since the city and the mayor submitted an application to dismiss the lawsuit.

Hoey said they expect a decision to be a week up to a month.