Baltimore Jury Gives $21.5 Million Verdict in Brutal Assault Case
A Baltimore jury gave 2 victims a total of $21.5 million in compensation for damages resulting from horrific assault, torture, attempted murder, and arson, which were perpetrated by a landlord’s employee at their rooming house.
The perpetrator, a maintenance worker named Jason Dean Billingsley, had a violent criminal record and was recently released from prison. However, the landlord and management firm still decided to hire him without conducting proper background checks. The court ruled that they were extremely negligent.
During the attack, the victims were forcibly restrained, tortured, threatened with rape, and burned after the perpetrator threw gasoline on their apartment. They managed to escape through a window, barely alive. Billingsley later accepted a plea of guilty and is currently imprisoned for life.
As a result of the verdict, the jury awarded the plaintiffs monetary damages in addition to punitive damages amounting to $10 million each. Their attorney described the decision as a loud and clear warning to landlords that negligence will not be tolerated and that it will be punished, especially when tenants’ safety is at risk.
The incident highlights the necessity of thorough vetting by landlords and the importance of holding them accountable when safety is jeopardized. It is a signal for tenants, particularly those living in at-risk communities, that justice is possible and negligent landlords will be held responsible.
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