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Gov’t appeals police brutality ruling
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Posted on Nov 14 2000
The CNMI government yesterday filed an appeal in the U.S. District Court against the judgment to award $10,000 in punitive damages to alleged police brutality victim Ramon A. Ayuyu due to lack of evidence.
Assistant Attorney General William Betz, who represented the government and police officer Hillary Tagabuel in the case, said the evidence presented during the recent trial did not support the jury’s verdict.
Last Nov. 4, Jurors found Mr. Tagabuel liable for violating the plaintiff’s civil rights after he was not given a legal counsel while being questioned by the police regarding a theft case three years ago.
The defense has 10 days to appeal the decision, which expired yesterday, according to Mr. Betz.
Mr. Ayuyu, 22, won $10,000, plus one dollar in actual damages, in the $1 million lawsuit, but the jury’s verdict did not find in favor of the plaintiff on his allegations that he was beaten up and held at gunpoint to confess to the crime in November 1997.
The CNMI government was also ordered to pay the plaintiff’s attorney fees and litigation costs based on the judgment issued immediately by District Judge Alex R. Munson.
The trial presented testimonies of Mr. Ayuyu, who said he has mental disability, his mother and sister, and Chief Public Defender Masood Karimipour as well as Mr. Tagabuel and two other police officers.
Mr. Tagabuel denied hitting the plaintiff, although he testified he was able to get a statement from him during questioning at the police station admitting to the theft of $50 that he allegedly took from a customer at Winchell’s Susupe. (BS)
