Family sues landlord over haunted house

[Mike_D202]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...opstories.html

A New Jersey couple is suing their landlord for a refund after they said paranormal activity caused them to flee their rental home.

Michele Callan and her fiance, Josue Chinchilla, moved into the home in Toms River, N.J., with Callan's two children on March 1 and were immediately spooked.

"Three taps on the TV, taps on the shoulder…" Chinchilla told ABC News.

At first they chalked it up to the adjustment period of moving into a new home.

But things only got spookier, they said.

Doors opened and closed. The family even claimed they recorded strange voices whispering, "Let it burn."

The new tenants said that between the menacing voices, flickering lights and clothes mysteriously flying from their closets, they couldn't take it anymore. They fled the three-bedroom home and checked into a hotel, where they said they have been living since March 13.

Callan and Chinchilla filed suit last week in New Jersey Superior Court, seeking the return of their $2,250 security deposit from their landlord, Richard Lopez.

Lopez filed a counter-suit claiming the couple is using alleged paranormal activity as a way to break their lease.

"Frankly, there is something else going on," David Semanchik, who is Lopez's lawyer, told the Asbury Park Press. "She is a single mom, she has this fiancé living with her. I think she is in over her head and she can't afford the rent."

The couple said that isn't the case, but ultimately a judge will have the final word on whether the family will be able to escape their alleged nightmare on Lowell Avenue.

There's video in the link above. Can't wait to see what happens in court

[terry78]

This would make an awesome movie. And I'm sure someone is trying to snatch up the rights now.

[Thundercrack85]

There is actually legal precedent for this, believe it or not.

[8wid]

Unsolved Mysteries (GHOSTS!) Ghosts Go To Court

[Bat-Mite]

They should look into the background of the people alleging the haunting... I know that in that Unsolved Mysteries case, the couple that claimed to be haunted turned out to have a shady financial past, and the people that moved in afterwards reported no paranormal experiences.

[obin_gam]

I would love to live in a haunted house dont see the problem the couple have??? Too bad they are BSing him though, since there are no ghosts in reality.

[Monsieur Xavier]

The Court should not even take this case, this is not serious.

[Hobgoblin]

This sounds like The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

[Mike_D202]

Originally Posted by Monsieur Xavier

The Court should not even take this case, this is not serious.

In some states they have laws where if a landlord rents or sells a property with knowledge of previous complaints and witholds that information from renters or buyers they can be held liable and they are obligated to return any money they recieved.

[Monsieur Xavier]

Sure we have the same law but the complainers must have real issues not paranormal activities or fairy tells. That is utterly stupid.
The Court should not waste time and money with ludicrous complains such as this one.

[chamber-music]

Ghostbusters should of opened a legal wing. They would of made a killing

[cryptic name]

Originally Posted by Monsieur Xavier

Sure we have the same law but the complainers must have real issues not paranormal activities or fairy tells. That is utterly stupid.
The Court should not waste time and money with ludicrous complains such as this one.

Saying you're 100% sure there is no such thing as the paranormal is as silly as saying you're 100% sure that there is.

[SpideyInATree]

They should call the Ghosthunters.

[Marvolo]

Originally Posted by Monsieur Xavier

Sure we have the same law but the complainers must have real issues not paranormal activities or fairy tells. That is utterly stupid.
The Court should not waste time and money with ludicrous complains such as this one.

That's supposing this isn't a real issue. You can not with 100% certainty say that something isn't going on in that house, because you haven't been in the house or evaluated the evidence. You are simply dismissing it based on personal prejudice against the idea of the paranormal or abnormal phenomenon. That isn't how our legal system works. Until they are proven to be lying or falsifying evidence they have every right to have their case heard by a judge.

I believe in cold hard science, but I've experienced enough wild and crazy **** in my life to know that not everyone is full of **** when they say they have experienced these events. Now, whether it is drafts, bad wiring, or just a confluence of many things resulting in these strange activities in the house is yet to be seen, but it is the people's right to have it investigated, and to know whether previous renters have had problems. If they have it points to a problem of either dickery on the landlord's part or of a different type. Either way, it should be looked into.