Atlantic City Cop Ordered to Pay $250,000 From Own Pocket to Citizen He Abused

[damnedifIknow]

We’ve seen so many police abuse lawsuits settled before making it to trial where cops admit no wrongdoing while guiltily dishing out thousands of taxpayer dollars that it’s surprising to see one actually make it to trial.

And it’s absolutely flabbergasting to see it result in a cop ordered personably liable.

The cop is none other than Sterling Wheaton of the Atlantic City Police Department, whom we became familiar with back in September when he drove up to a group of five fellow officers beating on a suspect and sicced his dog on him in an incident caught on surveillance video.

Then we later learned that Wheaton was already named a defendant in three unrelated lawsuits alleging abuse over the five previous years, including one where he is accused of ripping the phone out of the hands of woman recording him, only for her never to see the phone again.

Now we are learning that another of those three lawsuits involved him beating up a prosecutor from the state attorney’s office "

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http://photographyisnotacrime.com/2013/12/22/atlantic-city-cop-ordered-pay-250000-pocket-suspect-abused/

[Live and Learn]

1. But no punitive damages?

Hopefully the Castellani case will result in heavy punitive damages.

[Dawson Leery]

2. That is steep. If Sterling Wheaten is forced to pay

the 250k from his own pocket, he will suffer greatly. He will deserve it. It would be pure justice if Mr. Wheaten was forced to pay the entire half a million himself.

[dickthegrouch]

3. HOORAY!!!!!

At last the beginning of the chink in the armor.
I hope this begins reining in cop misconduct all over the country.

[passiveporcupine]

4. I can't even watch that video to the end

Since when do cops get to beat you up because they don't like what you have to say? 'freedom of speech my ass. It wasn't just the cop with the dog who should be sued, but all of them.

[Jenoch]

10. The video does not provide context.

The kid was kicked out of the casino. He is then walking around and shouting at someone, we don't know to whom his words were directed, and I don't know why the cops rushed him, but resisting arrest is a crime. If he did not fight with the cops, he would have been handcuffed and taken away. After that, who knows. I was always taught not to fight with cops. The K9 officer needs to spend some time behind bars. I wish I knew the details of this arrest.

[MrModerate]

5. How about hard time . . .

For all the 'officers' involved in this grotesque assault? Should be worth about 2-5 each, wouldn't you say?

[Savannahmann]

6. Personal liability is the first step in holding the police accountable

I could keep going with the celebratory smiles, but I'm sure you get the message I'm trying to send.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. ,good

[Cryptoad]

8. What is cop doing with 1/4 million $,,?????????nt

[Jim Lane]

11. He may not have a dime. The victim may get virtually nothing from him.

Some police officers, knowing that suits like this are possible, arrange their financial affairs so that they're judgment-proof. The main strategem is to put all the family's assets in the spouse's name.

The linked article says only that $250,000 was the jury award against the cop. It doesn't say that the cop has that much money. Also bear in mind that the award may be reduced or overturned on appeal.

Nevertheless, it's definitely a good thing that, through this lawsuit, there was at least some accountability on the city and on the unfit candidates it admits to its police department.

[Bandit]

12. Any pay he receives from any source can be and probably will be garnished until payment

is complete.

[Jim Lane]

13. That won't get much.

Depending on his household size and pay, wage garnishment may well be limited to 10% (and I'm not sure if it's 10% of gross income or 10% of take-home after deductions for taxes and pension). He'll essentially be paying the interest on the judgment while retiring little if any of the principal.

[Phlem]

9. Christmas is coming early!

WooHooo!

-p