Date: 11-07-2008

Case Style: Michael Hickenbottom v. Samuel Nassan and Juan Curry

Case Number: 2:03-cv-00223-JFC

Judge: Joy Flowers Conti

Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Allegheny County

Plaintiff's Attorney: Geoffrey Fieger and Bob Giroux, Fieger, Fieger, Kenney & Johnson, Southfield, Michigan and
Joel Sansone and Kelly Graham, Scanlon & Sansone, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Defendant's Attorney: Jessica Beckett-McWalter, Christopher J. Huber, Barbara W. Mather, Dennis R. Very and Andrew K. Fletcher, Pepper Hamilton, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Kathryn M. Kenyon, Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;
Kemal Alexander Mericli, Office of the Attorney General, Civil Litigation Section, Pittsburgh, PA; Peter F. Vaira and John E. Riley, Vaira & Riley, P.C., Philadelphia, PA

Description: Michael Hickenbottom sued Trooper Samuel Nassan and Cpl. Juan Curry on a civil rights theory under 42 U.S.C. 1983 for using unreasonable force in attempting to apprehend his son Michael Ellerbe, age 12, on December 24, 2002. Michael stole an SUV and ran from the officers when he crashed the vehicle. The officers shot to death. Plaintiff sought damages for the wrongful death of his son.

The defenses asserted by Defendants are not available.

Outcome: Plaintiff's verdict for The jury awarded $4 million in compensatory damages and $24 million in punitive damages. Settled for $12,500,000.00.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: