Jordan Miles Civil Trial: Remembering the Verdict Part 3: the Defense reaction
Following Jordan Miles and his attorney’s statements to media, we waited outside the federal courthouse for the officers and their attorneys to face our cameras and questions.
The officers instead slunk out a side entrance of the courthouse by US Marshal escort to a waiting undercover police car ready to drive them away.
A visibly bummed out James Wymard began telling media that Jordan had refused a $180,000 settlement offer before the first civil trial, touting that the jury’s decision on damages is $60,000 less than the offer and in refusing the city’s settlement offer puts Jordan on the hook for all city expert witness expenses (one city witness alone has cost the city between 40 and 50 thousand dollars alone in the last 4 years.) And other costs. (Asst. City Solicitor Mike Kennedy confirmed that the city may bill Miles.)
Wymard would then mock Miles initial request for 2 million dollars in damages asserting that this case was about Miles making money instead of justice.
He would convey the disappointment of the officers who still maintain they did nothing wrong while claiming a victory for the city of Pittsburgh at the same time.
Robert Leight, attorney for Rick Ewing would speak next declaring how the city has always supported their heroic officers and rubbing in the fact that the officers would not be paying a dime of the damages as the city’s insurance would foot the bill.
Both Wymard and Sleight were puzzled by the jury’s verdict but relieved no excessive force was found as that was the charge they were really worries about.
fraternal order of police and officer Saldutte attorney Bryan Campbell would then speak reminding us that these officers did nothing wrong and would do it all over again. We would then have the police continuum of force shoved down our throats again.
No plans to appeal the jury decision was announced by the defense….just relief this was over for their clients who could now move on with their lives.