"Landlords in Baltimore are being held liable for hiring a convicted sex offender with a violent criminal record who then attacked two tenants and set them on fire, with a jury awarding the victims $21.5 million. The same man murdered a tech CEO just days after attacking April Hurley and Jonte Gilmore in their home in 2023, which he was able to enter by misrepresenting himself as building maintenance."
"The lawsuit argued the companies neglected basic background vetting for Jason Billingsley, who was allowed to live on the companies' property and to perform paid upkeep tasks. The jury awarded the money, including $10 million in punitive damages, last week in Baltimore City Circuit Court. "I'm just thankful that me and Jonte survived that day and that we made it this far to fight for this ruling," said Hurley said in a news release following the decision."
Landlords in Baltimore were found liable after hiring Jason Billingsley, a convicted sex offender with a violent criminal record, who attacked and set two tenants on fire. A jury awarded the victims $21.5 million, including $10 million in punitive damages, in Baltimore City Circuit Court. Billingsley entered the apartment by misrepresenting himself as building maintenance and was allowed to live on the companies' property and perform paid upkeep tasks, prompting claims of neglected background vetting. Victim April Hurley was raped and badly wounded; she and Jonte Gilmore survived. Billingsley later pleaded guilty to the attack and to killing Pava LaPere and is serving multiple life sentences. The building is owned by Property Pals LLC and managed by Eden's Homes LLC, which plan to appeal the civil judgment.
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