Pro Bono Victory in Excessive Force Trial

On November 27, 2012, Kaye Scholer obtained a successful jury verdict against two Chicago police officers in a pro bono matter involving excessive force. Back in March 2010, the police officers − after arresting our client and securing him in the police station with both hands handcuffed behind his back − zapped him with a Taser. The officers stated that they did so because he had elbowed one of them and spat in his face, allegations to which our client subsequently pleaded guilty. Despite the guilty plea, Special Counsel Alan Salpeter and Associate Ross Neihaus were able to convince the jury that Tasering our client constituted excessive force, and the jury awarded $7,500 in punitive damages.