Easterday v. Masiello

Allen Easterday committed suicide by hanging from a protrusion in the air duct system while imprisoned in the Palm Beach County jail. The complaint, alleging negligence by the architects and engineers, was dismissed with prejudice. We affirm.

This appeal is governed by the doctrine, adopted in Slavin v. Kay, 108 So.2d 462 (Fla.1958), that a contractor is relieved of liability to injured third parties caused by a patent defect after control of the completed premises has been turned over to the owner. It is undisputed, for the purpose of this appeal, that this defect was patent. See also Conley…