Excessive force involving one plaintiff and two officers. Strikes to the head with hard object while handcuffed. Minimal physical injuries. Witness saw incident from window. Officers denied completely. Original jury award of $5,000 compensatory and $100,000 punitive. Reduced to $50,000 compensatory following post trial motion to reduce punitive award.
Inmate wrote mother complaining that Sgt. filed “bullsht” infractions. Mail room opened letter (correct), laughed and forwarded copy to Sgt. Sgt was furious and gave inmate 10 days cell-confinement. Inmate grieved and coordinator denied action was error, then admitted during grievance appeal that rules did not permit mailroom personnel sharing letter with custody. Court dismissed Monell but found 1st violation (“egregious” was the term judge used.
Nantucket Police Officer John Hubbard used unreasonable force on Eric Kaminskas, fracturing his skull. On September 4, 2011, Defendant Hubbard was investigating an altercation at a nightclub on Nantucket Island. He approached Mr. Kaminskas outside the nightclub to question him about his involvement. Defendant Hubbard tackled Mr. Kaminskas with so much force that Mr. Kaminskas’s right frontal skull struck the pavement and broke into pieces. Mr. Kaminskas was airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston (MGH). After the swelling in Mr.
On May 4, 2012, Mr. Holding was loud while visiting a friend who lived next door to Defendant Lauria. When Mr. Holding returned to his friend’s house the next afternoon, Defendant Lauria was waiting for him. Defendant Lauria was on duty in his marked Revere police car wearing his police uniform. Defendant Lauria went up to Mr. Holding and, without provocation, punched, kicked, and cursed at Mr. Holding. Defendant Lauria fractured the bone at base of Mr. Holding’s right thumb and bruised Mr. Holding’s right shoulder, upper back, and left eye. Mr.
On February 28, 2009, Boston police officers Lenane and Holt went to the public way behind the Pine Street Inn to “broom” the area of homeless people. When the officers approached, everyone fled except for Mr. Medina. Defendants incorrectly assumed that Mr. Medina had drugs. Lenane grabbed Mr. Medina’s throat and looked inside his mouth for drugs. Holt hit Mr. Medina on the nose with a hard metal object, breaking his nose. Both attacked Mr. Medina, kicking and punching him while he was on the ground. Defendants did not find any drugs and did not arrest Mr.
On May 19, 2010, Boston police officers arrested Ms. Wernikoff, a male-to-female transgender woman, because she was using the women’s bathroom at a homeless shelter. Ms. Wernikoff’s use of the bathroom based on her gender identity was entirely appropriate, as both BPHC policy and a Boston city ordinance make clear. Officers took Ms. Wernikoff to the police station, where male officers including forced her to remove her shirt and bra, exposing her breasts, and to jump up and down, causing her breasts to jiggle. The officers laughed at Ms. Wernikoff. She felt humiliated and degraded.
Police shot African-American man accused of trying to run over officers with a vehicle; survived by 5 y.o. son.
Settlements and verdicts in related cases for 44 African-American men, many accused of drug dealing, strip searched on the street by Oakland police officers pursuant to custom and written strip search policy. Settlement reached after verdicts in favor of two test plaintiffs. (No deaths).
Police shooting after vehicle pursuit of 29 y.o. man; survived by wife and two children. Settled post-verdict for $8.85M.
Police shooting of 13 y.o.boy playing with Air-Soft gun; boy paralyzed; settled on appeal for $15M.