Landlord Held Liable For Lax Security Which Led To Murder of Tenant
A jury recently awarded millions of dollars to the estate of a 20-year-old and 17-year-old who were in their apartment when an intruder entered and fatally shot them. Although the crime remains unsolved, the mother of the slain siblings, on behalf of their estate, sued the company that owned and managed the premises alleging negligent security. Important to the decision is the fact that the plaintiffs offered evidence that for several months preceding the crime the complex front entrance gate was frequently broken and left open and that in the previous three years there were nearly 20 crimes permitted on the premises. Despite this factor, the plaintiffs claimed that management failed to properly warn tenants or properly repair the gate or make other safety provisions. They also contended that while the gate was broken, the complex should have posted a security guard at the entrance to check the identification of guests and record license plate numbers of entering vehicles, actions which would have deterred intruders.
