Defense Verdict for Sturgill Turner Police Officer Defense Team
Sturgill, Turner, Barker & Moloney’s police officer defense team won a unanimous defense verdict in favor of Kentucky State Police Detective Jason York in a lawsuit brought by two of the suspects charged in connection with the 2010 murder and robbery of an elderly widow living in rural Knox County, Kentucky.
The two plaintiffs made claims of malicious prosecution and wrongful detention against Detective York after their criminal charges had been dismissed. At issue in the lawsuit was Detective York’s investigation of the murder and robbery. Detective York and his defense team maintained and proved that the investigation established probable cause for the criminal charges.
“We are very pleased that the jury validated Detective York’s investigation after having heard and considered all of the evidence at trial,” said Derrick Wright, member of Sturgill Turner’s government and municipal law group and lead counsel for Detective York. The experienced trial defense team also included co-counsel Scott Miller and paralegal David Hobson.
The plaintiffs were represented by Chicago attorneys Loevy & Loevy, one of the nation’s largest plaintiff’s firms specializing in lawsuits against police. The jury unanimously rejected all the plaintiffs’ claims, vindicating Detective York and his investigation.
The case was tried in March 2022 over eight days before a 10-person jury in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky, Southern Division before U.S. District Judge Robert E. Wier.
