Date: 01-25-2013

Case Style: Debora Tanner v. City of Sullivan

Case Number: 11-CV-01361

Judge: Nannette A. Baker

Court: United States District Court of the Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Donald L. Schlapprizzi, Linda C. Powers, Antoinette T. Schlapprizzi

Defendant's Attorney: Patrick A. Bousquet, Benjamin M. Fletcher, Russell F. Watters, Robert J. Wulff and T. Michael Ward

Description: Debora Tanner, Danny C. Palmer and C.B. sued the City of Sullivan, Darrin M. Jones, Don L. Reed, Kevin L. Halbert, Jeff Rohrer and Shaun Hinson on a wrongful death civil rights violation theories under 42 U.S.C. 1983 and the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution claiming that the Defendants demonstrated deliberate indifference to the well being of Karne Palmer when they placed her in a jail cell without removing the pull string on the hoodie that she was wearing and, as a direct result, she hung herself on October 17, 2009.

Outcome: The City of Sullivan was dismissed and the jury returned a $2.85 million plaintiffs' verdict.

The jury found that four of the officers had “complete indifference to or conscious disregard” for the safety of Palmer, awarding $1.55 million in punitive damages to the plaintiff family members. The punitive damages – on top of $1.3 million in actual damages - was split in four unequal amounts according to the jury’s findings against each officer.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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