phill4paul
10-16-2014, 02:07 PM
A federal jury in Charleston has found former Cottageville, South Carolina, police officer, Randall Price, responsible for the wrongful death of Burt Reeves, (left) who was once the city's mayor. The jury awarded the family of Mayor Reeves $97 million, even though the State Law Enforcement Division and the FBI investigated the incident and declined to file charges against Officer Price.
The State reported today that the jury awarded $7.5 million in actual damages, $60 million in punitive damages against Cottageville, and $30 million punitive damages against Officer Price.
Mullins McLeod, who represented the Reeves family, argued that Officer Price shot Reeves because the ex-mayor complained about the officer's "aggressive behavior."
"Reeves wanted Price gone and Price retaliated", McLeod told the jury. "You certainly should be able to complain about a cop without fear of being killed,"
Price's attorney, Lake Summers, blamed the victim, saying Mayor Reeves suffered from bipolar disorder and was enraged when he confronted the officer. Summers argued that Officer Price fired in self-defense.
It is unlikely that the jury award will ever be paid since the Cottageville Police Department's annual budget totals less than $270,000, and before he was fired by the department, Officer Price earned in the mid-$30,000 range. But the award is significant as an example of the disconnect between the way law enforcement views an officer's culpability and that of the general public, like the men and women who sat on that jury.
Cottageville has not yet announced whether they will appeal.
http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/uncucumbered/jury_awards_family_97_million_for_shooting_death
The State reported today that the jury awarded $7.5 million in actual damages, $60 million in punitive damages against Cottageville, and $30 million punitive damages against Officer Price.
Mullins McLeod, who represented the Reeves family, argued that Officer Price shot Reeves because the ex-mayor complained about the officer's "aggressive behavior."
"Reeves wanted Price gone and Price retaliated", McLeod told the jury. "You certainly should be able to complain about a cop without fear of being killed,"
Price's attorney, Lake Summers, blamed the victim, saying Mayor Reeves suffered from bipolar disorder and was enraged when he confronted the officer. Summers argued that Officer Price fired in self-defense.
It is unlikely that the jury award will ever be paid since the Cottageville Police Department's annual budget totals less than $270,000, and before he was fired by the department, Officer Price earned in the mid-$30,000 range. But the award is significant as an example of the disconnect between the way law enforcement views an officer's culpability and that of the general public, like the men and women who sat on that jury.
Cottageville has not yet announced whether they will appeal.
http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/uncucumbered/jury_awards_family_97_million_for_shooting_death