Donald Eugene v. Latrun Realty

A $5.25 million settlement put an end to this negligent security case filed in Miami-Dade County.  The plaintiffs attorneys from the Biondo Law Firm and the Haggard Law Firm argued that property owners Latrun Realty, Inc. knew this incident was foreseeable and preventable.

The multimedia presentation shown in mediation demonstrated that Latrun Realty failed to take adequate security measures in a high-crime zone where 12 armed robberies occurred in three years.   They also alleged security procedures were in place at the time of the robbery, but the defendants neglected to use them. They contended Eugene was the only security guard on duty at the time but also performed housekeeping and reception work. Garrett Biondo said, "The defendant basically had their security guard running all sorts of errands, and there were a bunch of prior incidents where hotel employees had been robbed repeatedly, and the hotel chose not to take additional security measures."

Donald Eugene, was working as a security guard at a Holiday Inn in North Miami Beach when a man attempted to take his gun around 3:00 AM the day of the incident. Eugene was shot three times. Despite his injuries, Eugene chased the unidentified man outside the lobby and through the parking hotel, but the suspect got away on foot. The shooting left Mr. Eugene with his left leg amputated below the knee along with other debilitating injuries. - Oct. 2008

Garcia v. Maxx Properties 

After a civil trial in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, a jury ruled that the owners and managers of The Arbors apartments should pay $8 million in damages to Starsky Garcia's family for failing to provide adequate security on the property.

With Champion Legal providing their trial support, attorneys Douglas McCarron and Michael Haggard argued that the property owners had no security guards or surveillance cameras at The Arbors Apartments. Even as crime increased the New York-based owners also failed to fix a fallen fence and broken security gates that allowed anyone on the property. Demonstratives presented by Graphics Consultant Andy Clarke demonstrated that from 2002 to 2006, police recorded 24 burglaries, nine assaults, three shootings and two robberies at the apartment complex.  After visiting a friend at the complex, Garcia was found dead in The Arbors parking lot in late 2006 at about 4:30 a.m. - Nov. 2008