Police Excessive Force
Significant Cases
- McDole v. City of Wilmington, et al., C.A.No. 16-191-RGA (D.Del. 2016). Together with Jacobs & Crumplar and attorney Raeann Warner, representing the estate and survivors in the tragic death of Jeremy McDole in a Fourth Amendment excessive force case against the Wilmington Police Department and its officers. Following a highly critical report by the Attorney General of the State of Delaware which found “serious deficiencies” in the WPD use of force policies and concluded they were so poorly written to be “effectively meaningless,” found one of the officers involved demonstrated “extraordinarily bad judgment,” that his conduct constituted “extraordinarily poor police work that endangered both the public and his fellow officers” and that he should not “be employed by the [WPD] in any role where he would be carrying a firearm in public,” the case ultimately settled for $1.5 million and a promise by the City to consider a comprehensive use of force policy that will outline when force is appropriate and train officers in de-escalation procedures.
- Hale v. City of Wilmington, State of Delaware, et al., C.A.No. 07-166-GMS (D.Del. 2007) (Fourth Amendment excessive force lawsuit against the WPD, Delaware State Police and numerous officers and troopers arising out of the tragic tasering and shooting death of a decorated Marine Corps veteran while in Wilmington on a Toys for Tots charity motorcycle run).
- Weal v. Town of Laurel, et al., C.A.No. 07C-10-273-FSS (Del.Super. 2007) (Fourth Amendment excessive force and Fourteenth Amendment substantive due process shocks the conscience lawsuit against the Town of Laurel and one of its officers arising out of the rape and sexual assault of a private citizen by an on-duty police officer).
- Servino v. Medical Center of Delaware, Inc., C.A. No. 94C-08-077-WTQ (Del.Super. 1994) ($585,000 Fourth Amendment excessive force jury verdict against the predecessor of Christiana Hospital arising out of the beating by a constable of two elderly parents there to check on their son).
- Cases which reached confidential settlements prior to the filing of a lawsuit are not listed.