Two Chicago police officers who arrested a man filling up his tires at a gas station air pump were found liable for violating that man's civil rights by wrongfully arresting him. The facts speak for themselves, but it must be noted that the Chicago Tribune observes that the City's Corporate Counsel failed to settle this case despite some very unsettling facts, including the fact the Chicago police officers changed their story regarding the Plaintiff and they both failed to appear at the aggravated battery hearing for the Plaintiff.
After asking the judge whether they could order the police officers to 100 hours of community service, they found the plaintiff, a father getting diapers for his child, was damaged in the amount of $20,000. They also found that the police officers and the City should pay $30,000 + the 75 cents that the plaintiff lost in the air pump at the gas station as punitive damages. To top it off, the City's Corporate Counsel refused to settle the case and thus the City will be responsible for the legal costs of their defense as well as the $300,000 in legal fees of the Plaintiff.
Civil rights litigation is high risk for a municipality. While they are generally insulated from various statutory immunity clauses, wrongfully arresting someone in flagrant violation of the Constitution, under color of law, will often result in punishing jury verdicts. Even judges are uninterested in municipal excuses and excoriate 1983 defendants for flagrantly violating the law and destroying the credibility of the municipal police forces.
Nair Law LLC knows what it takes to protect your rights. Nair Law LLC also focuses on what is best for our client. Sometimes its best to get a very fair settlement offer and just move forward. Sometimes you've gotta fight at trial because the other side, as here, is being unreasonable towards settlement. You need an attorney that you can trust to give you both clear and well reasona Contact us if you have any questions about whether your civil rights have been violated.
Civil rights litigation is high risk for a municipality. While they are generally insulated from various statutory immunity clauses, wrongfully arresting someone in flagrant violation of the Constitution, under color of law, will often result in punishing jury verdicts. Even judges are uninterested in municipal excuses and excoriate 1983 defendants for flagrantly violating the law and destroying the credibility of the municipal police forces.
Nair Law LLC knows what it takes to protect your rights. Nair Law LLC also focuses on what is best for our client. Sometimes its best to get a very fair settlement offer and just move forward. Sometimes you've gotta fight at trial because the other side, as here, is being unreasonable towards settlement. You need an attorney that you can trust to give you both clear and well reasona Contact us if you have any questions about whether your civil rights have been violated.
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