Ambrosia Garcia, Alejandra Hernandez, Veronica Escobedo v. Maria Moron, dba Hacienta Cristal, Lance Miller
Published: Oct. 7, 2000 | Result Date: Mar. 6, 2000 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |Case number: DUM0002021 Bench Decision – $0
Judge
Court
L.A. Superior Central
Attorneys
Plaintiff
Defendant
Marc H. Garber
(Law Offices of Muhar, Garber, Av & Duncan)
Experts
Plaintiff
R. Bruce Ramm
(technical)
Defendant
Greg McCrary
(technical)
Daniel R. Sullivan
(Sullivan Ballog & Williams LLP)
(technical)
Christopher E. McGoey
(technical)
Facts
Defendant Maria Moron operates a popular nightclub known as Hacienda Crystal on Lanark Street in Panorama City, one of the several businesses in a strip center owned by defendant Lance Miller. The plaintiffs arrived together at defendant's nightclub on Feb. 27, 1998 at about 9:30 p.m. Instead of parking in front of the strip center, or in the large, well lighted, secured and patrolled parking lot directly across the street, they drove down a rear delivery alley and parked in a remote area behind the club not designated for customer parking. As they walked along the short driveway alongside the club, half-way to the front entrance, they were suddenly confronted by an assailant who displayed what appeared to be a handgun, ordered them back to their vehicle and forced them to drive around Panorama City to a desolate alley where he assaulted, battered and robbed two plaintiffs and forcibly raped the third. The plaintiffs sued for negligence, premises liability and negligent hiring of the independent security guard company. The assailant was convicted of kidnapping, robbery, forcible rape and sentenced to life.
Injuries
The plaintiffs suffered emotional distress requiring psychiatric and psychological counseling.
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