Bay Ridge, Brooklyn - Man Charged for Sexually Assaulting an Elderly Woman in an Apartment Building Laundry Room

Man Charged for the Sexual Assault of an Elderly Woman in Apartment Building

According to the New York Post, a man was charged for sexually assaulting a woman inside her apartment building’s laundry room.

Mario Pope, 25-years-old, sexually assaulted an 85-year-old woman in her building on Marine Avenue. The woman fought back, and Pope ran off.

Pope allegedly went to a park nearby and began following another woman. The cops responded and did not arrest him as he hadn’t committed a crime. However, their body cams caught Pope’s face.

When the woman who was assaulted in the laundry room called the cops, investigators profiled Pope as the same man in the park. Detectives found Pope near the apartment building and took him into custody.

Pope has been charged with attempted rape, burglary, sex abuse, forcible touching, and unlawful imprisonment. Pope has previous arrests that are sealed, including trespassing and assault in 2018.

Legal Options for Victims Sexually Assaulted in an Apartment Building

Attorney contributor Laurence Banville, an experienced sexual assault lawyer, has represented numerous victims of sexual assaults in civil lawsuits.In an interview, Laurence provided the following legal commentary on the rights of victims sexually assaulted in an apartment building.

“Apartment buildings have a legal obligation to protect its residents. We have seen common spaces in apartment buildings across the country are often hotspots for sexual assault as it provides easy access to other residents. In these common spaces, victims are vulnerable and comfortable, which gives predators an opportunity to abuse victims who trust their surroundings. Victims sexually abused in an apartment building common space should know they may have grounds for a civil lawsuit.”

“Apartment building owners are legally obligated to protect their residents and provide a safe environment. These property owners can be considered negligent in civil lawsuits if they do not provide adequate security to their residents. An example of negligence is if previous sexual assaults have occurred on or around the property, but security was not increased. If a victim’s lawyer can prove the sexual assault was a result of the negligence on behalf of the apartment building owners, the victim and their family may have ground for a civil lawsuit and receive compensation.”

Sources:

https://nypost.com/2020/10/15/elderly-woman-sexually-assaulted-in-nyc-laundry-room/