Capitol

Honolulu Jury Awards Over $2 Million to Family of Homeless Man Killed by Deputy Sheriff at State Capitol

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Honolulu, Hawaii – A jury in Honolulu awarded over $2 million to the family of a homeless man fatally shot by a deputy sheriff at the state Capitol, a court determined on Friday. The verdict, which concluded deliberations that began on Wednesday, marks a significant moment in the legal ordeal stemming from the 2019 incident. Delmar Espejo, 28, lost his life during a physical altercation with former deputy sheriff Gregory Bergman, which allegedly occurred after Espejo was confronted for possessing alcohol on Capitol premises. The altercation led to Bergman shooting Espejo in the back, igniting … Read more

Capitol Police Officers File Civil Suit Against President-Elect, Campaign for Provoking Jan. 6 Violence

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WASHINGTON — Following the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, by a mob intent on disrupting the certification of President Joe Biden’s electoral win, eight Capitol Police officers are bringing a civil lawsuit against the then-president-elect and his campaign for their alleged roles in inciting the violence. Represented by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the officers claim they were assaulted, exposed to tear gas, and subjected to racial slurs by rioters who had been rallied by accusations of a stolen election. The legal action points directly to the rhetoric … Read more

Court Rules Against Bias Claim in Jury Selection for Capitol Riot Trial

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Washington — In a significant ruling, a federal judge has dismissed a defense claim that pretrial publicity and geographical biases contaminated the jury pool in the upcoming trial of a man charged with participating in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The defendant, charged with obstructing an official proceeding among other charges, argued that the extensive media coverage of the Capitol breach and the general sentiment in Washington, D.C., would prevent a fair trial. The judge, presiding in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, countered the defense’s motion by emphasizing the ability to … Read more

Jury Awards $2.27 Million to Family in Fatal Capitol Police Shooting, Criticizes State Training and Supervision

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Honolulu, Hawaii — In a significant legal ruling on Friday, a jury determined that the state of Hawaii failed to adequately train and supervise a former deputy sheriff, resulting in the 2019 fatal shooting of a homeless man on the grounds of the state Capitol. The family of the slain man, Delmar Espejo, was awarded $2.27 million in damages after a civil trial that cast a renewed spotlight on the state’s law enforcement practices. Gregory Bergman, the ex-deputy in question and now a San Diego police officer, was involved in the incident that led to … Read more