Former Lt. Mike Reifschneider proved to a jury in April that he was discriminated against for refusing to retaliate against a Black police officer. A jury deliberated and decided he deserved $5 million in punitive damages. However, those jurors were not told their award is not allowed in Missouri.

Employment attorney Kevin Baldwin explained how jurors do not always have the final say in civil lawsuits.

“In a criminal case, they can assess the death penalty. They can put somebody in prison for life,” Baldwin said. “We trust the jury to make that decision, but you’re saying we can’t trust them to make a monetary decision to punish a large corporation. That’s the crazy thing.”

Reifschneider’s attorney, Joan Swartz, said he could not comment with the case still pending. Court filings show Reifschneider’s damages will be cut down to $500,000 because of Missouri statute.

“The juries can’t know it,” Baldwin said. “One of the reasons is, I think, is because they think the jury would say, ‘Oh, there’s a $500,000 cap, we’ll just do the $500,000.’”

Citizens we talked to outside court on Wednesday had strong opinions.

“I would be disgusted,” Shaun McCabe said as another citizen, Shaun Fleming said, “(I would) not want to be on a jury no more. Why would I go back? I just gave you my information and whatever thoughts I had on it and y’all pushed it to the side and said, the law said that you can only get $500,000.”

Larriesha Yamini said, “If that is what he was awarded, then that’s what he should get.”

McCabe continued, “You have a list of jurors for this case and that’s more than just one person to say so.”

The caps began in late 2017 and did not impact former St. Louis County Police Sgt. Keith Wildhaber, who won a $20 million jury verdict. St. Louis County settled it for $10 million instead of appealing. That amount was not capped because Wildhaber had filed his lawsuit in April 2017, months before the new law.

It should also be noted that former Lt. Reifschneider’s full verdict was for nearly $6.3 million. In addition to the punitive damages, he was awarded back pay, which is not capped. So, instead of a final judgment of $6.3 million, the cap knocks him down to about $1.2 million.

Read article here: https://fox2now.com/news/fox-files/missouri-law-wipes-out-millions-in-punitive-damages-award-for-st-louis-county-cop/amp/