Blind Man Wins Key Court Ruling in Urgent Eviction Case

UPDATE: A blind man and his two daughters are seeing a significant revival in their fight for justice after a recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. This ruling allows their lawsuit against the state of Delaware to proceed following a shocking eviction during a snowstorm in March 2021.

The court’s decision comes after the Murphy family was wrongfully evicted from their Wilmington home, despite a statewide moratorium on evictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The family was forced out while temperatures dipped dangerously low, leaving them to fend for themselves in the cold. Their story raises critical questions about the state’s responsibility and the treatment of individuals with disabilities during eviction processes.

William Murphy, who lost one eye in a childhood incident and suffers from severe glaucoma, recalled the harrowing experience of being evicted: “I never thought I could live in some place and be homeless within five to ten minutes. It didn’t make any sense to me.” The family was allowed a brief moment to gather warm clothes but had to leave behind essential items, including laptops and an urn containing his late wife Lakia’s ashes.

The lawsuit, originally filed in March 2021, claims that landlord Kenneth Stanford and the state Justice of the Peace Court violated the Murphys’ constitutional rights. In a previous ruling, Chief Federal Judge Colm F. Connolly dismissed the case, stating there was no evidence that the eviction was linked to Murphy’s disability. However, the appeals court found that reasonable accommodations were necessary, such as providing eviction notices in a format Murphy could read.

Murphy expressed his relief with the decision, stating, “I’m happy that they decided to do that for me because my only real thought in the whole thing is that I feel like nobody listened to me.” The appeals court’s ruling emphasizes the need for state officials to adapt their practices to ensure compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

The eviction order was initially intended for a previous tenant, but Murphy had been renting the property for three months. He attempted to show the constables his signed lease to no avail. “They were saying a lady that used to live there, and I’m telling them, ‘Well, I don’t know the lady,’” Murphy recounted.

The constables proceeded with the eviction despite knowing that Murphy could not read the eviction notice handed to him. In response to the ruling, attorney Stephen Neuberger stated, “Even if you’re evicting the wrong person, the notice still has to be in a form that the blind man can read and understand.”

The appeals court’s decision could lead to a full trial, where attorneys for the state will have to respond to the lengthy complaint’s assertions. Murphy and his family are seeking both punitive and compensatory damages, as well as a formal apology for what they endured.

As the case moves forward, the Murphys’ legal team is also pursuing an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice to ensure that Delaware’s magistrate court system complies with federal civil rights law. “We get to get into what happened behind the scenes in the state court system,” Neuberger explained.

William Murphy and his daughters have since relocated to southern New Jersey, where they are rebuilding their lives. Murphy is now employed with a manufacturing company that supports blind workers. His daughters, Kayla and Aaliyah, are also thriving, with Aaliyah recently completing cosmetology school.

The court’s ruling has reignited hope for the Murphys and emphasizes the essential need for judicial systems to respect the rights of all citizens, particularly the most vulnerable. As the case unfolds, it will be vital to monitor how the state responds and whether significant changes are made to prevent such injustices in the future.