The Haggard Law Firm’s team recently won an incredibly hard fought battle for sexual assault victim, Amanda Slone, when a Broward County jury returned a verdict on Thursday, June 23, for $1.6 million after three weeks of trial. This is an incredible journey where defendant Cornerstone Residential Management, which is one of the largest commercial property management companies in the country, brutally attacked Amanda Slone’s story and her family’s background in trying to secure a court victory. During the discovery phase of the case over 37 depositions were taken across several states.
This is a victory not only for Amanda Slone, but perhaps more importantly for sexual assault victims, as the defense incredulously claimed that Amanda had made up her story of the brutal rape that occurred on September 27, 2008 at Imperial States Mobile Home Park.
“I understand that it was his job to defend his client,” Slone said. “But it made me feel horrible, being told I’m a liar, that I made the whole thing up.”
For far too long sexual assault victims have had to live with the stigma of guilt, shame and questions about the worst day of their lives. Unfortunately, Cornerstone and its lawyers tried the same tactic against Amanda Slone.
Amanda Slone v. Cornerstone Residential Management
VERDICT $1.6 Million – Negligent Security
It was 5:00 am when Amanda was awoken by the sight of the assailant’s handgun. The assailant demanded Amanda’s money and that no noise be made or she and her Grandfather, who was sleeping in the other room, would be executed. After informing the assailant she had no money, the assailant violently grabbed Amanda, continued to point the pistol at her body, and dragged her out of the trailer’s back door.
The assailant commanded Amanda at gunpoint to walk North, away from the trailer. Amanda walked through the Imperial Estates Mobile Home Park while the assailant continued to point his handgun directly at her back. After walking one and a half blocks in search for the perfect area to commit his heinous criminal deed, the assailant chose a dark wooded area on the Imperial Estates property and sexually assaulted her.
The Imperial Estates Mobile Home Park, from which Amanda Slone was abducted and raped, was dangerous. There was at least one stabbing, a shooting, another attempted sexual assault, and an attempted abduction of a young girl from her bicycle, all within a few years leading up to Amanda Slone’s assault. The police have testified that this was the most troublesome property within their patrol route.
The defense retained former FBI Agent, Greg McCrary, as a Security expert. Unfortunately, Mr. McCrary went further than giving an Opinion that the Defendants had Adequate Security. Mr. McCrary actually changed his Opinion at trial and testified that he felt a Crime did not occur. Thankfully, the jury rejected Mr. McCrary’s new testimony. Throughout the case, the Defendant maintained that it owed no duty to Amanda Slone whatsoever, relying upon the Florida Mobile Home Act for this argument. Despite the well settled nature of this issue, the Defendant insisted in its court filings that the 4thDistrict Court of Appeals “law clerks [failed] to undertake the same basic legal research” as the Defendant.
Hopefully, this Verdict will compensate Amanda Slone for the horrific experience that she went through on September 27, 2008, and continues till this day. It is also the hope of The Haggard Law Firm that this Verdict and others like it will empower Sexual Assault Victims in their daily battles with the Stigma that society and unscrupulous Corporations and their agents continue to label upon them.
The Haggard Law Firm team was lead by attorney Christopher Marlowe along with co-counsel Michael Haggard. Attorney Jason Brenner and legal assistant Nory Lopez also assisted with the case and trial.
