Busch Case Still Very Much in the News

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against former Anheuser Busch executive August A. Busch IV over the accidental drug overdose of his late girlfriend Adrienne Martin 27 of St. Charles. That occurred back in mid-December. Numerous St. Louis media have reported the filing of the case in St. Louis County Court on Thursday, The suit claims Busch was negiligent in the accidental death.

This is touching off a dispute between Martin’s former husband Dr. Kevin Martin, plaintiff in the case on behalf of their son Blake Alexander Martin, 8 and what is sure to be a battle within the family. 

Christine Trampler, Adrienne Martin’s mother says she plans to intervene fearing the friendship between her late daughter and Kevin Martin could color the outcome for her grandson.

The grandmother plans to apply for custody of her grandson and seeks legal guardianship.

The grandmother has contracted with New York lawyer John Q. Kelly, who represents the family of Natalee Holloway, the high profile case of a girl who turned up missing in Aruba and the estate of Nicole Brown Simpson in a civil law suit filed against O.J. Simpson.

Busch’s lawyer, Maurice Graham of St. Louis filed an immediate court order to the response, denying any negligence on the part of his client.

Trampler, who lives in Springfield, Mo., faces a long uphill climb. The child is in full custody of his surviving father Dr. Martin in Cape Girardeau.

Authorities have determined the death of Martin on Dec. 19 was accidental and autopsy reports indicated that Martin was a habitual cocaine user. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCullough stated clearly the death was an accidental drug overdose and there was no basis for prosecution.

Without further cooperation from Busch, who recently left the InBev board of directors, the case is now closed.

Busch currently resides in Huntleigh.