Wrongful Arrest Leads to $18 Million Jury Verdict
A 26 year old school teacher arrested in Los Angeles County for kidnapping and sexual assault was vindicated ten months after his arrest–but not before he had been subjected to months in jail and abuse by both jailers and other inmates. The defendant had ATM receipts and telephone records that proved that he could not have been near the scene of the crime when it occurred. However, the county decided to prosecute anyway. The defendant lost his job and, although he was acquitted less than a year after his arrest, he was not able to secure new employment for three years. After the criminal court found that the defendant was “factually innocent”, he sued the arresting officer, the county, and the Sheriff’s Department. The jury awarded $18 million .
June 12th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
I followed my attorney’s advise regarding an easement dispute with my father’s property who lives next door and his next door neighbor. My father’s neighbor called the police. I presented the documents to the arresting officer but he refused to look at them and seemed to have a personal and emotional response to the situation instead objectivelying looking at the easement and my attorney’s documents. My attorney says I was wrongfully arrested and incarcerated. He is 71 years old, however, and does not want to get involved in a lengthy law suit, though he says I have grounds for said. I live in Illinois. I would like to sue the arresting officer and the neighbor for wrongful arrest. Can you please help me?