Prince George's County, Maryland Jury Awards Shooting Victim $2.4 Million

By Kevin I. Goldberg

A Prince George's County, Maryland civil jury recently returned a verdict in the amount of $2.4 Million for Devon Shaw. The man was shot and injured by a P.G. County--Prince George's County-- police officer on New Years Day 2006. The police officer Defendant defended himself by arguing that he shot Mr. Shaw because he thought that Mr. Shaw was holding a gun. Mr. Shaw claimed he never had a gun. The officer shot Mr. Saw five times.

The jury award will likely be reduced because of Maryland's cap on non-economic damages, and because of the local government tort claims act which caps cases against Maryland Counties such as Prince George's County at $200,000.00.

Victims of police misconduct and police brutality have recourse in the legal system. If you or someone you know is seriously injured or wounded by the police or by other government officials, call Goldberg, Finnegan & Mester for a free telephone consultation at 301-589-2999 x102.

The victim's lawyer obvioulsy avoided pleading federal civil rights violations in order to keep the case in the Circuit Court for Prince George's County. Federal Judges and Federal juries in Maryland are much less likely to look favorably on this kind of case compared to the Circuit Court for Prince George's County. Attorneys can avoid having police brutality cases removed to federal court by pleading only state law causes of actions such as assault, battery, and negligence---rather than pleading federal civil rights violations.