HUNTINGTON – A woman is suing REMC Inc. after she claims a secret surveillance camera was found in her apartment.
Kenneth Kirby was also named as a defendant in the suit.
On March 13, 2015, Jessica Harris and REMC entered into a lease agreement for an apartment with a 12-month term beginning April 1, 2015, according to a complaint filed Jan. 20 in Cabell Circuit Court.
Harris claims on May 25, she was visited at her residence by neighbors, Alex Gossett and Bryanna Marsh, and during the visit, Marsh informed her that they had previously visited the residence prior to her occupancy and that there was a surveillance/security camera located in the same location that now was occupied by what appeared to be a smoke detector.
Upon hearing the allegations, Harris attempted to test the smoke detector, but no sound was made upon pressing the “test” button and she immediately removed the cover of the smoke detector and noticed there was no battery and that, in place of the battery was a small circuit board connected to wires running through the ceiling, according to the suit.
Harris claims the circuit board was glued to the smoke detector casing and, on the outside of the smoke detector casing, there appeared to be a hole which was aligned with the location of the circuit board.
At that time, it became apparent to Harris that the smoke detector was non-functioning and that its true use was to conceal a hidden camera, according to the suit.
Harris claims the discovery of the hidden camera caused her to become distraught and she was consumed with anxiety and was physically ill.
The next morning, she notified the police of the presence of the hidden camera and West Virginia State Trooper J.A. Vanhoose arrived shortly thereafter to investigate the matter and later that day, the hidden camera was disconnected, according to the suit.
Harris claims she stayed one last night in the residence, along with a friend who stayed with her, and she only returned once after that night to meet with an investigator and to move her personal belongings.
The defendants owed Harris a duty to provide her residence free from encumbrances which would inhibit her peaceful possession and enjoyment and breached that duty by allowing and/or failing to prevent the installation, maintenance and/or operation of a hidden video camera inside the residence, according to the suit.
Harris claims she suffered losses and impairments due to the discovery of the surveillance camera and will continue to suffer losses in the future.
The defendants breached their contract with Harris and invaded her privacy/solitude, according to the suit.
Harris is seeking compensatory damages. She is being represented by W.A. Dawson Jr.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge F. Jane Hustead.
Cabell Circuit Court case number: 16-C-42