Jury awards more than $12 million to family of man shot by Chicago police
Posted December 13, 2007 10:00 pm
A jury has awarded more than $12 million to the family of a Chicago man shot to death by a police officer.
City officials acknowledge the officer had no justification for shooting 23-year-old Michael Pleasance at a CTA Red Line station four years ago. So the three-day trial this week was to decide damages for the family.
Plaintiffs' attorneys asked for $32 million. They say Pleasance's death crushed his mother and brother.
City attorneys asked for a $1 million award. They say the key legal issue is how much the victim would've contributed to his family.
A city spokeswoman calls the amount of Thursday's verdict "excessive" and says the city's considering an appeal.
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