A wrongful death lawsuit filed against New Haven following the death of a rooming house resident in a 2019 fire has a message in it for attorneys representing municipalities in the state.

An April 27 complaint filed in New Haven Superior Court claims the city was negligent in Michael Randall Sr.’s death, alleging the rooming house was actually an illegal apartment that city officials knew wasn’t in compliance with local and state codes. Randall’s twin sister, Clarice Elarabi, is the party representing the deceased’s estate.