The two former residents of Elmwood Apartments who were raped and robbed in an October 1996 break-in filed suit against their former landlord in Hennepin County District Court on Aug. 8.
The suit claims landlord Craig Janssen was negligent in providing false information to the women about the building’s security.
The victims claimed the lock on their balcony door did not function properly, remaining broken despite repeated requests to management to repair it. The suit also claims Janssen promised to repair the door.
It was through that door that Antonio Burton, Puissance Andersen, Giezwa Andersen and Victor Porter entered when they broke into the apartment October 8, 1996. During the break-in, two of the three female residents were raped. Burton was later convicted for the attack.
“Despite knowledge of the problem with the door and locking mechanism and promising to remedy it, (Janssen) failed to repair or replace the defective door and lock … prior to October 8, 1996,” the suit stated.
Both plaintiffs are asking for $50,000 each because of injuries incurred and “loss of earnings and of earning capacity.”
— Compiled from reports