$10 Million Wrongful Death Suit Brings Employment Issues into Play

By Nathan Abbott

Published on November 07, 2006

The estate of murdered fashion writer Christa Worthington is suing CCDC Equipment Services, the parent company of the Cape Cod trash disposal company that employed criminal defendant Christopher McCowen. The suit alleges that the company did not fulfill their obligation to use reasonable care in choosing and retaining employees who would be sent to the homes of CCDC customers.

McGowan, whose criminal trial is currently being conducted in Barnstable Superior Court, has a lengthy history of violent behavior, including convictions in both Massachusetts and Florida for grand theft, felony assault, and threats that resulted in multiple restraining orders.

Attorneys for the disposal company claimed that it was impossible to predict that a crime such as Worthington's murder might take place. Furthermore, because many of McCowen’s criminal transgressions occurred in Florida, a standard background check would have been largely useless.

Lawyers for the company stated that if all employers were required to conduct the lengthy background checks necessary to turn up out-of-state criminal records, many businesses would be unable to survive.

The attorney for the Worthington estate declined comment, citing the fact that the civil and criminal trials are still pending.

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