The award is significantly higher than Postell’s original settlement offer for $75,000.
An HBCU student in Columbia, South Carolina, will receive nearly $700K after his landlord unjustly threw away his belongings.
Ansel Postell, who attended Benedict College, returned to Columbia to find his pre-paid apartment emptied. He also found out that his landlord had given away his stuff. However, his mother claims that they paid the rent for six months upfront, as reported by The State.
It totaled $3,810 to ensure his residence and belongings would be safe over the summer break. The funds went to rental company Campus Advantage, which owns multiple apartment complexes like The Rowan.
The cybersecurity major found that all his clothes, electronic equipment, television, and self-built computers were missing. However, the company ignored requests for compensation. Due to this, the family took legal action and received a lofty sum in its conclusion.
On Sept. 19, a Richland County jury awarded the honors graduate $692,000 in damages, with $462,500 allocated for punitive damages.