Hearing In Stephanie Bennett Murder Case Postponed Until Next Year

RALEIGH, N.C. — A hearing involving the Stephanie Bennett murder case has been postponed until January. Bennett was killed in her north Raleigh apartment in 2002. Bennett's family said her apartment complex could have done some things to prevent her death.

In its lawsuit, Bennett's family said the facility was negligent in its security procedures. Equity Residential, the Chicago-based company that owns Bridgeport Apartments, contends nothing it could have done would have prevented the murder. Bennett's lawyer said the crime was foreseeable.

Drew Planten, who was accused of Bennett's slaying, killed himself before his scheduled trial. A man matching Planten's description had been seen crouching in the bushes outside Bennett's window 24 days before she was murdered. The apartment complex management said it knew about the incident, but did not notify tenants.

Bennett's lawyer also said the window was defective, the shrubbery was too high, and there was no lighting in that area.