Key West Injury Lawyer Blog
A 35-year-old man faces a slew of charges after allegedly threatening individuals at a Tom Thumb store on Stock Island Wednesday.
The man, of Marathon, Florida, was charged with theft, robbery with a weapon, aggravated assault and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, which posted an online press release Thursday.
Around 2:05 a.m., the man opened a soda and “partially drank it” and tried to hide it with chips before a store employee and at least three customers tried to stop him, police said. When they approached him, the man allegedly pulled out a knife “swung it around and chased one witness.”
Police say that the man threatened to kill the people in the store.
He was later found by police near U.S. 1 and taken into custody.
Luckily, no one in this incident faced any injuries, however, in previous Leesfield & Partners negligent security cases, the story has not always ended without bloodshed.
Negligent Security in Florida
Having appropriate security measures in place is crucial for Florida businesses to show that they have taken reasonable steps to protect patrons and employees from potential criminal acts. Unfortunately, many businesses involved in negligent security cases handled by Leesfield & Partners failed to take these precautions — often with serious consequences.
For example, one hotel involved in a previous negligent security claim that was handled by Partner Justin B. Shapiro, failed to have armed security guards on the premises. This was advice given to business owners by both police and a security company due to the location’s known history of violence.
As a result of failing to take these measures, the business was found liable in court for damages incurred by our clients, a husband and wife who were brutally beaten and assaulted by a crazed man who was allowed to enter the property and travel up the elevator to their door. This man walked through the hotel, unencumbered by questions from security or hotel personnel who may have stopped him.
He was able to launch an attack first on the husband before turning his ire on the wife, who he brutally beat and sexually assaulted until police arrived. Compounding matters, the unarmed security on the property and other hotel employees witnessed the vicious assault and did nothing to intervene.
Leesfield & Partners secured $16 million for the brutalized couple in that case.
Some business owners mistakenly believe that operating in a “safe” neighborhood exempts them from implementing security, leading them to rest on their laurels until an incident occurs. Others may be unaware that they have a legal duty of care to provide adequate protection under Florida’s negligent security laws, a legal principle that falls under premises liability.
Negligent or inadequate security is a form of personal injury claim that arises when a business fails to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable criminal acts. Florida law does not require every business to have security guards or surveillance systems, but it does require property owners to take reasonable precautions based on the level of risk. What’s considered “reasonable” depends on several factors, including the type of business, crime rates in the area, history of prior incidents, and the hours of operation.
For example, businesses that operate late at night, are located in high-crime areas or deal in high-value goods — such as nightclubs, 24-hour convenience stores or shops with luxury goods — are generally expected to have stronger security protocols than lower-risk establishments like small bookstores or cafés.
If a business is open late, situated in a high-crime area, and has a documented history of violent incidents — yet fails to implement appropriate security measures — Florida law may consider this a breach of duty. In such cases, if someone is injured due to foreseeable criminal activity, the business can be held legally liable for the resulting damages.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners has had a strong foothold throughout the Florida Keys since before its inception. In 1973, three years before the firm was established, Ira Leesfield, the Founder and Managing Partner of Leesfield & Partners tried his very first case in Key West. Since then, the firm has managed to establish lasting ties within the community and has contributed significantly to local organizations like food banks and has even created several scholarships for Monroe County students via The Leesfield Family Foundation.
In addition to making Leesfield & Partners a household name in Monroe County, the firm’s attorneys have done what they do best — secure results for clients. In nearly five decades of personal injury law, Leesfield & Partners has managed to secure record and leading results for injured clients and their grieving families. Our skilled attorneys work tirelessly to ensure that each case is handled with the compassion and dignity that is deserved while also working toward securing the best possible outcome for each client.
Previous Cases
In a historic Monroe County case, Leesfield & Partners attorneys obtained over $40 million for E.E., a woman who was savagely attacked with a hammer by a man who entered an unblocked parking garage at a Key West resort. In that case, the attacker entered the garage and roamed around, undetected, for 20 minutes before he encountered our client. As a result of the assault, she suffered serious and permanent injuries to her face and head.
This case marks the largest verdict in the area of its kind.
A $15 million settlement was secured by the firm in a negligent security case that involved a deadly apartment complex shooting.
In a case in which our client, a store employee, was brutally raped, the firm recovered $1.13 million. The attack in that case occurred at the shopping mall, which failed to have proper security on the premises.
The firm settled a case involving a Monroe County hotel housekeeper who was raped at work by a man who was allowed on the property, despite not being a guest. The man entered the room where our client was cleaning and attacked her. A settlement of $1 million was obtained for the woman in that case.
Leesfield & Partners recovered $1 million for the family of a 26-year-old who was assaulted at a Monroe County bar.
