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VAJane's Replies
As a footnote to this matter, the Eldridge family dropped their $3.75 million lawsuit against Lorenz in exchange for a $30,000 settlement and Lorenz dropping his countersuit. Their lawyer got $10,000 of that settlement. (Per an old Washington Post story.)
I hope Eldridge’s daughter recovered from this tragedy. Her bitter pain at the end of that show was evident. I hope she is in a better place today.
First of all, how do you know if putting up a fence was even an option? I’m familiar with that part of the country, and most HOA communities in that area don’t allow any fencing in the front yard. (A shame, too, because who doesn’t love an adorable white picket fence?) More importantly, why should a homeowner minding their own business have to barricade themselves behind a 6’ wall? Lorenz wasn’t the one doing wrong, the Eldridges were.
Secondly, it sounds like the Eldridge teenagers and their friends were on a campaign of bullying and harassment of the Lorenzes, while the Eldridge parents did nothing to reign them in. If my kids were deliberately trashing a neighbor’s landscaping, leaving dog poop in their yard, and letting their car roll down the driveway to hit the neighbor’s car, I’d drag them by the scruffs of their neck to apologize, followed by my own profuse apologies and an offer for monetary compensation for damages. What I would never do is defend my kids’ misbehavior. Part of good parenting is holding our kids accountable for their behavior.
Lastly, a drunken man standing on my front stoop, pounding at my door in a rage, making violent threats would definitely be perceived as a very real threat. I’d be terrified. I’d be curious to know if he had a history of assaults or arrests, or of similar disputes with previous neighbors. I doubt Eldridge’s behavior was a one-time incident.
The “Fear Thy Neighbor” episode made the Eldridges look like a harmless, fun-loving family and portrayed Lorenz as an unsympathetic villain. I guess they picked the narrative they thought made for the best TV viewing. Obviously, the jury saw things very differently, choosing to exonerate Mr. Lorenz completely.