Jury Awards $4.00 in Wrongful Death Case

Last week, a federal jury in Florida awarded Greg Hill, Jr.’s family $4.00 in their claims against a St. Lucie County Sheriff’s deputy.

On January 14, 2014, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Newman and his partner, Deputy Edward Lopez, were investigating a complaint for loud music.

Deputies got no response at the front door of the house, so they knocked on the garage door.  The Sheriff’s department alleges that as the garage door opened, the deputies saw Hill with a handgun down at his side.  When they ordered Hill to drop his gun, the deputies allege that he pointed the gun at the deputies at the same time as he pulled the garage door closed.  Deputy Newman then shot Hill through the garage door, killing him.

A jury awarded Hill’s family $4.00.  The evidence at trial showed that Hill’s blood alcohol level was 0.4, or 5 times the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle.  Because of this, the jury found that Hill was 99% responsible for his death and the award was reduced to $0.04.

Florida uses what is known as pure comparative negligence.  This means that whatever amount a plaintiff was negligent, their recovery will be limited by that amount.  So, in HIll’s case because the jury found he was 99% negligent, the award was reduced by 99%.

The attorney for Hill’s family indicated he will be requesting a new trial and if that is denied, he’ll file an appeal.