Sandi Cooper, mother of allegedly murdered escort Sheri Carter, filed a lawsuit against FAU on Jan. 30 for “negligent security” in hiring FAU’s ex-cop Jimmy Ho — her daughter’s alleged killer.

Cooper filed the lawsuit with the Palm Beach County Circuit Court and “demands trial by jury for all issues so triable,” Cooper’s attorney Michael A. Bernstein wrote in the lawsuit. Cooper is suing FAU for “hiring, retaining, training and/or supervising Ho” during his employment, as stated in the lawsuit.

FAU Media Relations Director Lisa Metcalf refused to comment, citing the open investigation on behalf of the university.

Ho allegedly shot Cooper’s daughter, Sheri Carter, an escort he communicated with via Internet, at her home in Boynton Beach on Jan. 31, 2011, the UP previously reported.

Ho told the police that he arrived at Sheri Carter’s home on Casa Loma Boulevard to pay for sex but that Carter wanted the money without the sex, the Palm Beach Post said.

According to the lawsuit, Ho was accused of misusing resources available to him as a police officer to find her residence. Bernstein also stated in the lawsuit that Carter must have trusted Ho’s status as a police officer in order to let him into her home. The Post found that Carter held an independent escort service from her home through her advertisement as “Stephanie” on backpage.com.

When police found 29-year-old Carter in her apartment at 7:15 pm, Ho was gone and Carter was injured with two gunshot wounds — one to the abdomen and one to the head, according to the Post.

“FAU provided Ho with equipment for use in his work that was capable of inflicting great harm upon others, including firearms and handcuffs, as well as training in the use of such implements,” Bernstein wrote in the lawsuit.

Carter was rushed to Delray Medical Center, underwent surgery that night, and died four days later, the UP previously reported.

The Sun Sentinel said Ho was arrested on Feb. 1, 2011, after submitting his resignation letter to FAU which read, “I resign from my employment at Florida Atlantic University Police Department effective immediately for personal reasons.”

FAU Chief of Police Charles Lowe couldn’t comment on the situation, according to FAU PD Assistant Director Carlene Watson.

According to the Post, Ho held a tainted record as a police officer. Prior to joining FAU’s police department in 2006, records show that Ho was fired from the Broward Sheriff’s office in 2004 for inflicting violence on his ex-wife, the Post said. Other incidents included “unsolicited text messages” to female co-workers at FAU and suspicions of “spying on” a woman who worked in a residence hall at FAU, the Post found in Ho’s personnel records.

“FAU was negligent in allowing Officer Ho to remain a member of its police force after learning of such actions, even if FAU was not negligent in hiring Ho initially,” as stated in the lawsuit.

The day after Ho, charged with first-degree murder and false imprisonment, was “ordered held without bond” on Feb. 2, 2011, he attempted suicide by hanging himself in the Palm Beach County jail, according to the UP.

Cooper’s civil lawsuit is still pending and stated, “FAU hired Officer Ho without a fitness for duty examination, a polygraph examination or psychological evaluation.”

As of Jan. 31, the Post reported, “Ho, 48, is awaiting trial.”

[Ed note: Jimmy Ho is charged with first-degree murder and is innocent until proven guilty.]