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Articles by Christopher Zoukis

$30,000 Settlement for Brooklyn Man Falsely Arrested by NYPD

by Christopher Zoukis

Derrick Baxton, who was arrested by officers of the New York Police Department with no evidence of wrongdoing, settled his federal civil rights lawsuit with the city of New York for $30,000.

     On February 5, 2010, Baxton was allegedly on his way to visit his sister ...

$91,615 Awarded to Injured Aramark Employee After Indiana Jury Finds Against Prison

by Christopher Zoukis

 An employee with Aramark, a government service contractor, who suffered a back injury that required surgery after having to force open a gate at an Indiana prison, was awarded damages of $91,615 by a Superior Court jury.

     On September 3, 2008, Aramark employee William Kelly was ...

Disabled Louisiana Police Department Employee Settles Discrimination Suit with City

by Christopher Zoukis

Walter Steele, a city employee who worked with the Oakland Police Department in Louisiana and had cerebral palsy with partial paralysis, agreed to a settlement with the Oakdale police chief and the city after he was required to do more work for less pay due to his ...

$1.25M Settlement for Chicago Man Coerced into Confessing to Rape and Murder

Harold Hill, who was coerced into confessing to a rape and murder, and freed from prison when DNA evidence exonerated him nearly 13 years later, settled with the Chicago Police Department for $1,250,000. Attorney's fees accounted for $750,000 of the settlement amount.
In March 1992, Hill, who was 18 at ...

False Arrest of Florida Attorney by Fort Lauderdale Police Results in $600,000 Verdict

by Christopher Zoukis
Samuel Yeboah, who was arrested after he requested to observe a roadside sobriety test being performed on his client, was awarded $600,000 against the City of Fort Lauderdale for false arrest and malicious prosecution.

On April 29, 2005, Officer Colin Cowderoy stopped a vehicle driven by Bret ...

$400,000 Settlement Accepted by Michigan Parolee Over Force by Police, Parole Officers

by Christopher Zoukis

Michael J. Trethewey, who was assaulted by police and parole officers for an alleged parole violation, accepted a $400,000 settlement in compensation for his medical expenses and injuries. Approximately $270,000 of that was allotted for attorney's fees.

     Trethewey, who had been released from prison on parole, ...

$224,528 Awarded to County Jail Employee in New York Retaliation Suit

by Christopher Zoukis

A federal jury awarded Mark Battistoni, an employee at the Dutchess County, New York, jail, $224,528 after it found that his employer unlawfully retaliated against him.

     In July 2007, Battistoni received reports that the wife of his supervisor, Gary Christensen, was engaging in sexual conduct with ...

10th Circuit: Observation of Stack of 15 Credit Cards Does Not Provide Police With Probable Cause to Examine Name on Cards for Evidence of a Crime

by Christopher Zoukis

The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit reversed a lower court’s decision to deny a motion to suppress because the search that led to the discovery of illegal materials lacked probable cause. The December 28, 2017, opinion sent the case back to the district ...

Ninth Circuit Reverses Conviction for Transporting an Illegal Alien Due to Improper Jury Instruction

by Christopher Zoukis

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed a defendant’s conviction for transporting an illegal alien for financial gain because the district court improperly instructed the jury on the mens rea element of the crime. The January 30, 2018, opinion sent the case back ...

California Court of Appeal Rejects Gang Enhancement Based on Expert Witness’ Case-Specific Hearsay Evidence

by Christopher Zoukis

The Court of Appeal of California, Fourth Appellate District, Division Two reversed a trial court’s imposition of a gang enhancement on a defendant when the evidence of gang activity consisted almost entirely of hearsay relied upon by an expert witness. The January 23, 2018, opinion affirmed the ...

 

 

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