Vol. 55 No. 1
Trial Magazine
Verdicts & Settlements: Negligence
Negligent Hiring of Security Officer
January 2019
Doe, 14, went to visit friends at Pointe South Apartments. Brandon Zachary, an armed security guard on duty at Pointe South, befriended Doe and her friends and gave them alcohol. Doe passed out, and when she regained consciousness, Zachary was raping her. She suffered emotional distress and incurred medical expenses of almost $1,500.
Zachary was subsequently arrested and charged with rape, child molestation, and furnishing alcohol to a minor.
Doe’s mother, on her behalf, sued Crime Prevention Agency, Inc., the security company that employed Zachary, alleging the defendant failed to properly hire, train, and supervise its employees. The plaintiff asserted that the defendant did not ask Zachary for documentation regarding his license to carry a firearm or work as an armed security officer pursuant to the guidelines of the Georgia Board of Private Detectives. Suit also claimed the defendant failed to run any sort of reference check or background check on Zachary.
The jury awarded $1 billion.
Citation: Doe v. Crime Prevention Agency, Inc., No. 2014CV01498D (Ga. St. Ct. Clayton Cnty. May 22, 2018).
Plaintiff counsel: L. Chris Stewart, Atlanta.
Zachary was subsequently arrested and charged with rape, child molestation, and furnishing alcohol to a minor.
Doe’s mother, on her behalf, sued Crime Prevention Agency, Inc., the security company that employed Zachary, alleging the defendant failed to properly hire, train, and supervise its employees. The plaintiff asserted that the defendant did not ask Zachary for documentation regarding his license to carry a firearm or work as an armed security officer pursuant to the guidelines of the Georgia Board of Private Detectives. Suit also claimed the defendant failed to run any sort of reference check or background check on Zachary.
The jury awarded $1 billion.
Citation: Doe v. Crime Prevention Agency, Inc., No. 2014CV01498D (Ga. St. Ct. Clayton Cnty. May 22, 2018).
Plaintiff counsel: L. Chris Stewart, Atlanta.
