Lease woes-threats and lawsuits

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Situation: Lease for an apt, two (ex)friends. Two weeks in, he threatens me "I don't know what I'll do to you while your sleeping and I am drunk." Since he was always drunk, I took this seriously, and split. I had to room with a coworker, and pay him as well as the money I shelled out for security, rent, etc, for the first place. I continued to pay, being harrased each month to pay up or get sued. May came along and he said he was going to leave, landlord approved of the lease FINALLY being broken. Well, I stopped paying, I figured, I wouldn't get the security, so might as well.Instead, he stays there. Now I assume Oct will come around, and he will attempt to sue me for half the rent May-Oct. My question is: Can he? Why can't I sue him, or countersue for the money I lost? I recieved no benefit from the apt, lost money, and was threatened physically, it seems to me I am the one who has incuured loss, not he.
Furthermore, i suspect he has had another roommate, off the lease, since March.
Please email [email protected]....
Help!

 

[Tracey]

Did you get L's agreement to terminate the lease in writing? Can you get L to acknowledge that he agreed to terminate the lease back in May? Can you prove ex-roomie knew of the termination?

You can't sue R for the money you lost because what you should have done was obtain a restraining order requiring R to leave the apt. Instead, you left. You may have a defense under state law that you can break a lease if your roommie threatens you, but this law exists in few states. Also, to obtain the benefit of the law you have to have pursued some legal action such as filing a criminal complaint or restraining order application.

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This is not legal advice and you are not my client. Double check everything with your own attorney and your state's laws.