Marisa Shuter, the former leader of Philadelphia’s for-profit eviction system, is facing a new lawsuit stemming from a violent eviction attempt in July 2023.
The lawsuit, filed in Common Pleas Court, is brought forward by Angelize Rodriguez, a former maintenance administrator at Grace Townhomes in Port Richmond, who claims she suffered severe injuries during the incident.
Rodriguez’s suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages of over $50,000, alleging that both Shuter and Vincente Tabita, a private contractor engaged to execute evictions, displayed “negligent and reckless conduct” that resulted in Rodriguez developing post-concussion syndrome, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
According to the complaint, Rodriguez was “knocked unconscious” after being attacked by the tenant during the attempted lockout on July 18, 2023.
This incident came amidst rising tensions and scrutiny over the practices of Shuter’s eviction system, which had already faced significant criticism for its handling of eviction processes.
The July incident also brought to light a separate lawsuit filed nearly two years prior by tenant Latese Bethea, who alleges she was shot in the leg during a previous eviction attempt overseen by Shuter’s office.
Bethea’s lawsuit details that she was shot in front of her 8-year-old daughter during the same month that Rodriguez’s situation unfolded.
Legal representatives for Shuter and Tabita have yet to comment on the latest lawsuit, but the escalation of violence during evictions led to a temporary halting of eviction actions by Shuter.
Shuter stated that she needed assurance that all deputies were appropriately trained in de-escalation and proper use of force before resuming operations.
The violence related to the eviction process had already raised alarms earlier that year when another tenant, Angel Davis, was allegedly shot in the head during an eviction attempt.
Davis, like Rodriguez and Bethea, is also pursuing legal action against Shuter for negligence.
The incidents prompted sweeping changes to Philadelphia’s eviction processes.
After Shuter’s office was effectively shut down due to liability insurance issues, the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office took over the responsibility for performing evictions in the city.
Under recently passed city legislation, all eviction officers in Philadelphia are now required to carry a liability insurance policy of $2 million per incident and $4 million annually.
The backdrop to Rodriguez’s lawsuit centers on the July 18 eviction attempt, initially intended to involve a sheriff from the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office.
Instead, Rodriguez and her co-workers were met by Tabita, who was misrepresented as a sheriff’s deputy while he was actually a private contractor not part of sworn law enforcement.
Rodriguez’s lawsuit indicates that Tabita instructed them to force their way into the apartment belonging to Bethea, who had allegedly failed to pay water and sewer fees.
After an initial attempt to open the chained door with a master key failed, the maintenance supervisor was directed by Tabita to break down the door.
This led to a volatile situation inside the home as Bethea, confronted by Tabita, reacted aggressively, asserting that he had no right to be there and challenging his authority.
As tensions escalated, Bethea allegedly attacked Rodriguez, rendering her unconscious and necessitating her evacuation by co-workers.
Bethea was subsequently shot in the leg by a deputy landlord-tenant officer during the conflict and also required medical attention.
Rodriguez’s attorneys argue that Tabita should have recognized the danger posed to Rodriguez and her colleagues during the eviction attempt and that he failed to ensure their safety.
They contend that Tabita should have instructed Rodriguez to depart the premises to avoid injury.
Additionally, the lawsuit criticizes Shuter for being “woefully unqualified” to oversee the eviction system, citing a lack of training protocols for deputies and inadequate policies for conducting evictions safely.
The ongoing legal ramifications from these incidents highlight the significant challenges surrounding eviction practices in Philadelphia and the need for regulatory reforms to better protect tenants and those involved in the eviction process.
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