It took 12 minutes for a couple’s argument to end with a knife in Christian Obumseli’s chest, and his girlfriend, Courtney Clenney, crying on the phone to a 911 dispatcher that she was sorry. Now, NBC reports that in those vital minutes, security guards stood right outside the door while it happened.
A lawsuit filed by the Obumseli family was amended at the end of July to further reflect how preventable they believe his death was, the New York Post says. On the afternoon of April 3, 2022, security guards for the luxury condos where Christian and Courtney had moved into mere months before were alerted to an altercation within the unit, located on the 22nd floor. The lawsuit claims they stood outside in the time it took for Courtney to allegedly murder Christian.
“[B]uilding security arrived at the Clenney unit, knocked on the door, heard yelling through the door, stood outside, and did nothing despite knowledge of Ms. Clenney’s history of past disturbances in the unit and common areas, her history of erratic, volatile and aggressive behavior … and her recently diagnosed mental health disorder,” the lawsuit states.
Christian arrived at the apartment on April 3 at about 4:30 p.m., after which the couple began arguing, the lawsuit says. The front desk attendant called police regarding the disturbance, though allegedly claimed there was no need for medics.
“At 4:45 pm, One Paraiso [and other security and building entities] knew or should have known that this constituted an emergency and that they had a right to immediately access the unit, given the unique circumstances of Ms. Clenney and her history and medical condition,” the documents claim.
Courtney, a 26-year-old former OnlyFans model and Instagram star, claimed that after his arrival, Christian choked her and pushed her against the wall before she threw a kitchen knife at him, saying it landed in his chest, CBS previously reported.
However, a medical examiner has since determined the wound was inconsistent with a throw, and more consistent with a downward thrust of a knife, CBS added. Clenney has pleaded not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder with a deadly weapon.
Kim Wald, the Obumseli family attorney, revealed the nature of Courtney’s diagnosis in the amendment, NBC says.
“Just a few days before this tragedy, Courtney Clenney herself actually notified the building management company, who shared information with the security company and the owner of the actual unit, and notified them that she was recently diagnosed with a severe personality disorder,” Wald said.
“They had a tenant who had a history of abusive disruptive violent history in this building. They knew that with her history,” she continued.
The NY Post reports that by revealing her diagnosis, Courtney managed to get reversed an upcoming eviction notice the building management was about to issue due to the couple’s constant fighting and disruption to neighbors. She allegedly told them the medication would begin working in about a month.
Wald adds that the security guards should have entered the unit and intervened on the altercation in order to save Christian’s life, NBC says.
“[T]hey allowed Ms. Clenney to commit murder without providing any intervention — they stood outside the door of the unit while Ms. Clenney committed her heinous crime and did nothing to stop or attempt to stop the murder from occurring,” the lawsuit alleges.
At 4:57 p.m., Courtney called the cops to report the stabbing, the NY Post says.
One of Courtney’s defense attorneys, Frank Prieto, accused the amendment of being an attempt “to manipulate the narrative of what really occurred.”
Prieto released a statement regarding the amendment, and stands beside Courtney’s claims that she stabbed Christian in self-defense, the NY Post says. Court TV reported last month that he called the prosecution’s evidence “one-sided.”
“That afternoon, Courtney’s actions were taken in self-defense after suffering at the hands of Obumseli’s mental and physical abuse. The amended complaint includes the many times Courtney called security and the police for help; however, it distorts many facts and leaves out significant details that do not fit their false narrative,” Prieto’s statement reads.
Chio Obumseli, Christian’s father, is representing his son’s estate and filed the lawsuit. The lawsuit documents say he is suing Courtney, One Paraiso (the building owners), two property management companies, and Allied Universal Security Services, as he believes there was “foreseeable warning” and all defendants had time and means to prevent Christian’s death.
The lawsuit documents say the family seeks money “for damages in excess of $50,000.”
A spokesperson for the Obumseli family, Karen Egbuna, spoke of the devastation Christian’s mother is experiencing, NBC reports.
“I just want to relay my aunt's grief — this has been completely devastating to her. Her life has almost come to a standstill,” Egbuna said. “She’s been unable to resume life as it was prior to her losing Christian.”
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