Officers

Capital Murder Trial Begins for San Marcos Officer’s Death: Jury Selection Commences After Jury Summons Mishap

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SAN MARCOS, Texas – Jury selection began on Monday for the trial of a man accused of killing a San Marcos police officer in 2017. The trial is for a capital murder case and faced a setback when jury summons were not printed or mailed out. This error required county constables to hand-deliver thousands of jury notices to residents. Hays County District Clerk Avrey Anderson attributed the mistake to a vendor error and acknowledged that technology is not always reliable. Despite the mishap, approximately 400 people showed up for jury selection for the trial of … Read more

Trial Begins for Man Accused of Capital Murder in San Marcos Police Officer’s Death

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SAN MARCOS, Texas – Jury selection is set to begin today in Hays County for the trial of a man charged with capital murder in the death of a San Marcos police officer in 2017. Stewart Mettz, 57, is accused of fatally shooting Officer Ken Copeland on December 4, 2017. According to reports, on that day, San Marcos police officers went to Mettz’s residence to serve a warrant on charges of assault and injury to an elderly person. When officers knocked on his door, Mettz allegedly opened fire, striking Copeland twice. The officer was rushed … Read more

Appellate Court Upholds Record $3 Million Verdict against Chicago Police Officers for Failure to Protect Domestic Violence Victim

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Chicago, Illinois – An Illinois appellate court has upheld a record-breaking $3 million jury award in a case involving the negligence of two Chicago police officers in responding to a domestic violence call. The court found sufficient evidence that the officers prioritized their own convenience over protecting the victim, who was subsequently killed by her alleged abuser. The incident occurred on June 28th, 2015, when the police responded to a call at Vanessa Taylor’s West Side apartment. Upon arrival, the officers discovered Taylor’s boyfriend, James Thomas, wielding a Samurai sword and acting erratically. Instead of … Read more

Oregon Man Awarded Over $3.1 Million in Landmark Case Against Police Officer’s Excessive Force and False Arrest

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SALEM, Oregon – In a recent verdict, a jury in Oregon awarded Christopher Garza over $3.1 million after he was falsely accused of attempting to steal a car he was fixing and allegedly subjected to excessive force during his arrest. The jury’s decision included a punitive damages award of more than $3 million for false arrest, battery, and the use of excessive force. These events took place in 2021 at a tire store in Salem. According to the lawsuit filed by Garza, the incident occurred on September 17, 2021, when Salem Officer David Baker allegedly … Read more