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A federal judge has dismissed a national fraternity from a wrongful death suit stemming from a fatal accident involving a state lawmaker's son that occurred after a party in southwestern Kentucky.

U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell in Paducah ruled Tuesday that the national Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, it's chapter at Murray State University and the group's adviser, Danny Patterson, cannot be held responsible for the behavior of Burgess Harrison Yonts.



"Yonts consumed his own alcohol at various locations throughout the evening of Nov. 10," Russell wrote. "He was not served alcohol at the fraternity chapter."



Yonts, 23, was convicted in February 2007 of wanton murder, drunken driving and other charges in the crash that killed Murray State graduate student Nadia Shaheen in 2005.



Shaheen's estate sued Yonts, the fraternity and 74 of its members. The suit claims the fraternity and its members were negligent by serving alcohol to Yonts, who was 20 at the time and under the legal drinking age; by allowing him to get drunk; and by allowing him to drive his car after the party.