Janet Chandler's family files lawsuit

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The estate of Janet Chandler, who was brutally murdered at the Blue Mill Inn in Holland in January 1979, has filed a civil lawsuit in Federal Court in Grand Rapids against Wackenhut Corporation.

Wackenhut is a private security company based in Florida. In 1979, they provided security guards to the Chemtron Corporation during a union strike at their chemical plant in Holland. The security guards were based out of the Blue Mill Inn at the time of the strike.

Several former employees of Wackenhut either plead guilty or were convicted of Chandler's murder nearly 28 years after it occurred.

The civil lawsuit contends that Wackenhut was negligent in their hiring practices and negligent in their supervision and retention of the employees involved in Chandler's murder.

The lawsuit states that Wackenhut failed to make inquiries and do a proper investigation into the background of their employees that would have revealed their "unsuitability" for employment, and as a "direct and proximate result" of Wackenhut's "negligence", James F. and Glenna Chandler, Janet's parents, and the representatives of her estate, have sustained injuries including mental pain and suffering, medical or funeral expenses and punitive damages.

The suit seeks a judgement in an undetermined amount in excess of $75,000.00 for both charges of negligence and any other relief deemed appropriate.

24 Hour News 8 will continue to follow this story as it develops.