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$8.4 Million Judgment in Defamation Suit to Retired Army Colonel

A retired Army colonel denied a promotion due to a rape accusation has been awarded $8.4 million in a defamation lawsuit filed against his accuser. Col. David “Wil” Riggins, a highly-decorated veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, was up for promotion to brigadier general in July 2013 when he was accused of raping a fellow

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Sixth Circuit: Jail Guard’s Criticism of Sheriff was Protected Speech

Joseph Boulton, a jail guard at the Genesee County, Michigan jail, lost his claim alleging unconstitutional retaliation for protected speech on July 29, 2015. During union arbitration proceedings, Boulton testified that Sheriff Christopher Swanson had misrepresented the amount of Taser, firearm, and CPR training that Sheriff’s Office employees received. He also shared his concerns about

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California Appellate Court Remands Sex Offender Commitment Order

The First Appellate District for the California Court of Appeals has remanded a lower court’s decision to civilly commit a prisoner as a sexually violent predator (SVP). The Alameda County District Attorney filed a petition to commit Joel Curlee as an SVP in December 2010. During the trial, Curlee was called as a witness during

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Seventh Circuit Rejects Demand for Recusal in Milwaukee Strip-Search Cases

The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently denied the City of Milwaukee’s attempt to force the removal of the judge presiding over several unconstitutional police strip-search cases on the basis of several allegedly improper statements. The City of Milwaukee contended that U.S. District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller refused to recuse himself, so

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Eighth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Excessive Force Case

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a civil rights claim brought against the Jefferson County, Missouri Sheriff’s Department by a man beaten during a traffic stop. Edward C. Schoettle, an insulin-dependent diabetic, was driving his truck down a highway on November 6, 2010. When he became lightheaded,

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$88,616 to Florida Woman Falsely Arrested

On May 13, 2007, Orlando real estate broker Ana Maria Hazleton was at home when Orlando police officers responded to a call about a disturbance on her front lawn. The four officers, Brandon Loverde, Fernando Trinidad, Frank Sikos, and Edward Albino, arrested Hazleton’s son, Anthony, who had been playing in the yard with a friend.

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$77,500 Settles Michigan Woman’s Wrongful Arrest Suit

A Michigan woman jailed for writing a message in chalk on a sidewalk has settled her federal lawsuit for $77,500. Melissa Marie Jackson visited her boyfriend at the Genesee County Jail on October 18, 2010. As was her custom after a visit, she went across the street to wave to him. This time she also

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Sentence Vacated Due to Improper Enhancement Under Sentencing Guidelines

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated an improperly enhanced sentence of 46 months for illegal reentry after deportation. In 2009, Roman Bartolo Genao, a national of the Dominican Republic, was convicted in a New York state court of first-degree burglary and first-degree robbery. Genao forced his way into the victim’s

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