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Case of the Month November 2015 (below)
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Case of the Month November 2015

$6.5M Settlement for False Murder Conviction

Ott v. City of Milwaukee

Case Type:
Civil Rights & Constitutional Law - False Arrest

Specific Liability:
Police manipulated witnesses and fabricated evidence, resulting in false murder conviction

General Injury:
Monetary damages

Jurisdiction:
State: Wisconsin
Court: United States District Court, E.D. Wisconsin.

Related Court Documents:
Plaintiff's complaint: 2009 WL 10441674

Case Name:
Chaunce Ott v. City of Milwaukee, Former Milwaukee Police Department Chiefs Arthur L. Jones and Nanette H. Hegarty, as well as Present and Former Detectives Carl Buschmann, James Devalkkenaere, Robert Simon, Eric Moore, Ricky Burems, Michael Valuch, Percy Moore, Michael Dubis, and other as-of-yet unknown employees of the City of Milwaukee

Docket/File Number:
2:09CV00870

Result Amount:
Plaintiff, $6,500,000


Result Date:
April 21, 2015

Judge:
Rudolph T. Randa

Attorneys:
Plaintiff: Jon Loevy, Loevy & Loevy, Chicago, IL; Gayle Horn, Loevy & Loevy, Chicago, IL
Defendants: Grant F. Langley, City Attorney - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI; Jan A. Smokowicz, Assistant City Attorney - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI

Result Type:
Settlement

Experts:
Plaintiff: Not reported
Defendant: Not reported

Breakdown of Award:
$6,500,000 to plaintiff

Summary of Facts:
Chaunce Ott was convicted of murder and was sentenced to life in prison. Ott spent 13 years in prison when he was released following the recovery of DNA evidence that precluded him from committing the crime. Ott filed a lawsuit against the city of Milwaukee, former Police Chiefs, and present and former detectives alleging violation of Due Process, False Imprisonment, Failure to Intervene, Conspiracy to Deprive Constitutional Rights, Supervisor Liability and Indemnification. The plaintiff alleged the police manipulated witnesses and fabricated evidence to induce a conviction. He sought compensation for his emotional pain and suffering, and loss of the various pleasures of basic human experience. The parties reached a settlement in the amount of $6,500,000.

Court: United States District Court, E.D. Wisconsin.

Westlaw Citation:
2015 WL 5794465


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