06:38 PM Friday, November 20, 2009
Family of Slain Spelman Student Sues CAU
Date: Friday, November 06, 2009, 5:52 am
By: Denise Stewart, BlackAmericaWeb.com
The parents of a Spelman College student slain in September as she walked on the campus of neighboring Clark Atlanta University filed a wrongful death lawsuit Thursday and said their daughter’s shooting could have been avoided if the institution had adequate security.
Jasmine Lynn, a 19-year-old from Kansas City, Missouri, was killed by stray gunfire as she walked with friends on Sept. 3.
“The most basic duty that a school has is to keep students safe. Despite numerous instances of violent crimes being committed against student on CAU’s campus, CAU failed to provide adequate security. If they had simply done this, my child would be alive today,” said Jasmine Lynn’s mother, Constance Franklin.
Rod Edmond, an Atlanta attorney representing Clint Lynn and Franklin, said Clark had been on notice of incidents of violent crime on campus.
“We understand they were aware of a criminal element on campus,” Edmond told BlackAmericaWeb.com.
Clark is part of the Atlanta University Center that also includes Morehouse College and Spelman College. Morris Brown College also is nearby. Students at the colleges frequently visit each other and participate together in activities.
Clark has faced at least two other lawsuits in recent years related to on campus shootings, Edmond said.
“If they had in place adequate security, with ground checks and check points on campus, stray bullets would not have been issue,” Edmond said.
The parents are seeking both punitive and compensatory damages in the lawsuit filed in Fulton State Court.
Efforts to reach Clark Atlanta University officials for comment were unsuccessful.
In an article published on AJC.com, Clark Atlanta spokeswoman Jennifer Jiles declined to comment. “We have not been served with the legal documents. And the university does not comment on pending legal matters,” Jiles told AJC.com.
Last month, Devonni Manuel Benton, a 21-year-old ITT Technical Institute student, was indicted on charged he killed Lynn. Benton and his family say he was not the shooter.
Police have said that Benton and his friends were walking near the CAU campus when they got into a fight with a group of Clark Atlanta students. They allege that Benton fired six times as ran down the street away from the group.
A stray bullet struck Lynn in the chest. Her friend, Jerome Jones, a Clark student, was wounded in the wrist.
Jasmine Lynn’s parents said their lives have changed dramatically since the death of their daughter.
“Every day is different. Sometimes I’m up; sometimes I am really down,” Franklin told BlackAmericaWeb.com. She has a 12-year-old son who often joked with his sister about who would attend the best the college.
“I am hoping this does not discourage him from going to college,” Franklin said.
Jasmine Lynn has devastated her father, Clint Lynn.
“I hope no other parent has to go through anything like this. She was the only child I had,” Clint Lynn told BlackAmericaWeb.com.
The lawsuit states that, “Despite having clear and obvious knowledge of the need to improve security, Defendant CAU inexplicably failed to take the necessary actions to properly secure its campus and to properly protect both students and invitees.”
Franklin said that in addition to the lawsuit, she wants to do whatever possible to help make campuses safer for students and to support other families who face the loss of a child through violence.
“I have been affiliated with some groups in Kansas City, but I plan to affiliate with some groups here and other places too,” she said, speaking in a phone interview from Atlanta.
“No amount of money could heal my pain," Franklin said during news conference in Atlanta after the lawsuit was filed. "We have to save our babies."
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as a Student at CAU I completely understand why at a glance at this unfortunate situation one would want to sue the school, but important factors about this situation are being omitted.Att this time Visitation on CAU's campus was not permitted so she was trespassing on the campus. The street that she was shot on does not even belong to CAU but the city of Atlanta. There have been many times where CAU has e tried get the roads closed, but the city would not permit the school to do so. Consequently not having enough security is not the sole reason for Lynn's tragic and untimely death.
by
Ms. sour
November 9, 2009, 3:24 pm
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As a parent of a 17 yr. old daughter planning to attend Spelman in just 9 months from today, I'm nervous. My prayers are with Jasmine's family and friends. I have lived my whole parental life for this moment & I understand that unfortunate things happen but until this incident, the campus security hadn't even crossed my mind. Although I have spent a lot of time reassuring my daughter regarding her safety after this tragedy,... I'm nervous.
by
Bubbiebub
November 9, 2009, 7:42 am
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This is the ultimate tragedy. More importantly the family that this has effected. This tragedy is awful in every since because not only is their a life taken, but the future life of the students at a HBCU that we are trying to keep afloat life not is in the balance. Students scared to attend college with bad publicity which ultimately defeats the purpose of influencing our children to go to college its safer than the street. But not when we send the street to college as well.
by
Cleva202
November 7, 2009, 7:42 am
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I agree with Spercy, SUE THE SCHOOL since these people who are the leaders in our communities have yet to take a "with us or against us" stand against these people who aren't doing NOTHING to help society but shoot and slang.
STOP CAJOLING THEM, because it aint gonna work that way. Time and again, I will REPEAT that the comments on that article about Gov. Perdue EPITOMIZES the babying mentality black America has for criminals. NO SOCIETY can advance that way, and NO SOCIETY ever has.
Empathy but no sympathy with those committing these types of offenses.
by
A_day_in_the_life
November 6, 2009, 11:50 pm
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this incident speaks loudly about the high rate of violence that young black males participate in. why doe s a fist fight lead to gun shots anyway? maybe, by suing this school, black folks will take notice across this country and do something about these black on black killings
by
Spercy
November 6, 2009, 2:54 pm
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Spelman student Jasmine Lynn, 19, was slain in September as she walked on the campus of neighboring Clark Atlanta University.
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