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Tenants awarded $250,000 in damages
Louisa County couple wins damages in case involving landlord-tenant dispute
Date published: 6/4/2009
BY BILL FREEHLING A Louisa County couple was awarded $250,000 in damages Friday in a federal court case involving a landlord-tenant dispute that occurred near Gordonsville. The jury verdict followed a four-day trial that started May 26 in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville. The jury awarded the money to married couple Betty Ann and Tyrone Johns. The Johnses, who are black, sued their landlord, Eugene M. Stillwell Jr., after claiming that he had burned the contents of their rented home after racially discriminating against them. The incident occurred in June 2005 at 2767 Lindsay Road off State Route 22 south of Gordonsville. The Johnses had rented the home from Stillwell since 1999. The Johnses alleged that Stillwell had not known they were black when he rented them the home. They claimed that once he found out, Stillwell discriminated against them, which concluded in their being forcibly evicted and their possessions removed and burned. The Louisa County Sheriff's Office was called to the Lindsay Road house after being advised about a landlord-tenant problem, said Maj. Donald Lowe. Deputies reported that the landlord was burning items left behind by the tenant. They checked with the magistrate, who decided it was a civil matter and declined to issue any criminal warrants. The Johnses sued Stillwell under the federal Fair Housing Act and Virginia state law. In his written response to the lawsuit, Stillwell denied that race played any role in the incident. He stated that the Johnses had left the property after failing to pay rent and removing most of their belongings. He burned the remaining property. The jury found no violation of federal law or racially motivated property vandalism. But they decided that Stillwell had violated state law through trespassing and breach of contract. The jury ordered Stillwell to pay the Johnses $200,000 in compensatory and $50,000 in punitive damages. Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405
Date published: 6/4/2009
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