Jan. 6 Defendant Ordered to Pay $500K in Civil Case Despite Pardon

[noumoe]

A federal jury ordered David Walls-Kaufman, a 69-year-old Washington, D.C. chiropractor, to pay $500,000 to the family of Metropolitan Police Officer Jeffrey Smith, who died by suicide nine days after the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The verdict confirms that President Trump’s pardon, issued this year, does not shield against civil lawsuits.

The jury awarded $380,000 in punitive damages and $60,000 in compensatory damages to Smith’s widow, Erin Smith, plus $60,000 to the officer’s estate for pain and suffering. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes dismissed a wrongful death claim, ruling that Walls-Kaufman’s actions did not cause a traumatic brain injury leading to Smith’s death.

Walls-Kaufman, who breached the Capitol, served 60 days for a misdemeanor before his pardon. Body camera footage showed him in a physical altercation with Smith, leading to the assault liability finding. Defense attorney Hughie Hunt called the verdict “shocking,” arguing the incident was brief, and Walls-Kaufman denied striking Smith.


https://thedailydots.substack.com/p/jan ... irect=true