FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York Civil Rights Lawyer Eric Sanders, Esq., of The Sanders Firm, P.C., announces a Brooklyn federal Court affirms the jury findings but, reduces the award from $15 to 5.4 million dollars, concluding off-duty NYPD Police Officer Larry Jackson was brutally beaten inside and outside his Queens home
NEW YORK, October 1, 2018 – Today, after more than eight long years and having his complaints of police brutality completely ignored, a Brooklyn Federal Court entered final judgment for an award of $8,089,641.11, million dollars, concluding off-duty NYPD Police Officer Larry Jackson was brutally beaten inside and outside his Queens home
Jackson contended throughout the trial, although race as a claim was dismissed earlier by the Court, White police officers – who responded to a 911 call from his fiancee’ about a gun-wielding man who tried to crash their daughter’s birthday party – mistreated him after identifying himself.
Jackson claims he was ‘choked’ beaten with police batons, kicked and doused with pepper spray after he identified himself to the White police officers in August 2011. He sustained a fracture to his shooting hand, nerve damage, and other related injuries and will likely have to file for a disability retirement, according to the lawsuit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
After listening to evidence and legal arguments from both sides over two weeks, a Brooklyn federal jury awarded Jackson $12.5 million in compensatory damages and $2.6 million in punitive damages. However, during several post-trial motions, the Court affirmed the jury findings of excessive force but recommended Jackson to receive $2,750,000 in compensatory damages and $2.675, 000.00 in punitive damages. As the Court noted, “Here, defendants’ conduct was reprehensible; their actions were both violent and malicious,” Chen wrote. “This was not an act of mere negligence; it was an assault intended to cause (Jackson) significant physical and emotional harm.”
“(Their) violent and malicious assault on (Jackson) is wholly improper behavior for law enforcement officers and warrants a strong message of deterrence and censure,” she wrote.
Since the Court dismissed the City of New York, the individual officers are liable for the damages.
The Court Orders as Follows: JUDGMENT: Based on Plaintiff’s recent letter accepting remittitur and the Court’s Memoranda & Orders determining the amount of damages owed by Defendants Jesus Tellado, Stanley MacNear, John Czulada, James Gherardi, Ryann Dunn, Robert Deferrari, Kenneth Braumann, Ben Kurian, Peter Boneta, Thomas Reo, Michael Failla, and Brian Heerey (collectively “Defendants”), the Court awards (1) $2,750,000 in compensatory damages, for which Defendants are jointly and severally liable, and (2) a total of $2,675,000 in punitive damages, which is specifically awarded as follows: (a) $300,000 against Tellado; (b) $300,000 against MacNear; (c) $275,000 against Czulada; (d) $150,000 against Gherardi; (e) $150,000 against Dunn; (f) $250,000 against Deferrari; (g) $50,000 against Braumann; (h) $400,000 against Kurian; (i) $125,000 against Boneta; (j) $275,000 against Reo; (k) $350,000 against Failla; and (l) $50,000 against Heerey. The Court also awards $2,664,641.10 in pre-judgment interest, which was calculated on the total damages award of $5,425,000 for the period between the earliest ascertainable date a cause of action existed, i.e., August 21, 2010, and the date of final judgment, i.e., February 3, 2016, at a statutory rate of nine percent per annum. N.Y. C.P.L.R. 5001. Thus, Defendants are liable for a total $8,089,641.11. The entry of this judgment closes the case
“Today, the Court reaffirmed the jury’s decision loud and clear about the Department’s ‘dirty little secret.’ The jury, now the Court did what the Department and the Queens District Attorney’s Office refused to do, hold these ‘out of control’ officers’ ‘legally accountable,’” said lawyer Eric Sanders
ABOUT THE SANDERS FIRM, P.C.
The Sanders Firm, P.C. offers those in the New York City area legal services related and connected to civil rights, civil service rights, criminal law and discrimination. We firmly believe in everyone’s individual rights that are described and guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America. We understand that our freedoms and liberties are sacrosanct and that they have been won in many and various hard-fought battles. We are committed in every way to protecting your civil rights. We are your voice for justice!
CONTACT
Eric Sanders, Esq.
President and Owner, The Sanders Firm, P.C.
Business Phone: 212-652-2782