Kevin Thacker was a 21 year old man who was arrested in Marhalltown, Iowa, for drunk driving in 1983. He never made it home. He died a week later after suffering a skull fracture. His parents, Thomas and Beverly Thacker, enlisted the help of a personal injury attorney for the wrongful death of their son while in police custody. They claimed that the arresting officer used excessive force and struck Kevin while he was attempting to flee police custody, fracturing his skull and then trying to cover it up.
The police department claimed that Kevin fell 24 feet by jumping from the roof of the police department building to the building next door, a distance of nearly 13 feet.
The autopsy showed that the only injuries Kevin suffered were the two skull fractures and two bruises under his arms (as if he had been dragged.) A medical doctor hired as an expert witness by the plaintiffs testified that the type of injuries that Kevin suffered were inconsistent to a fall of that distance. Another expert witness, an athletic expert, also testified that it was impossible for anyone to jump that distance "unless they had wings."
The jury determined that the arresting police officer and the department were liable for the death of Kevin and awarded compensatory and punitive damages. The trial judge vacated the jury's verdict. A year later the appeals court reinstated the jury's verdict. The full award was paid out to the parents, plus interest.
An FBI investigation was initiated for civil rights violations and excessive force, but it's alleged that the FBI hastily investigated the case and swept it under the carpet without having a grand jury hear the case.
Thre was a movie made, entitled "The Coverup." The attorney who handled the case was instrumental in having it produced and it occasionally appears on TV and streaming channels.
Contributor: Christina (46898261) •
The police department claimed that Kevin fell 24 feet by jumping from the roof of the police department building to the building next door, a distance of nearly 13 feet.
The autopsy showed that the only injuries Kevin suffered were the two skull fractures and two bruises under his arms (as if he had been dragged.) A medical doctor hired as an expert witness by the plaintiffs testified that the type of injuries that Kevin suffered were inconsistent to a fall of that distance. Another expert witness, an athletic expert, also testified that it was impossible for anyone to jump that distance "unless they had wings."
The jury determined that the arresting police officer and the department were liable for the death of Kevin and awarded compensatory and punitive damages. The trial judge vacated the jury's verdict. A year later the appeals court reinstated the jury's verdict. The full award was paid out to the parents, plus interest.
An FBI investigation was initiated for civil rights violations and excessive force, but it's alleged that the FBI hastily investigated the case and swept it under the carpet without having a grand jury hear the case.
Thre was a movie made, entitled "The Coverup." The attorney who handled the case was instrumental in having it produced and it occasionally appears on TV and streaming channels.
Contributor: Christina (46898261) •
Kevin Thacker was a 21 year old man who was arrested in Marhalltown, Iowa, for drunk driving in 1983. He never made it home. He died a week later after suffering a skull fracture. His parents, Thomas and Beverly Thacker, enlisted the help of a personal injury attorney for the wrongful death of their son while in police custody. They claimed that the arresting officer used excessive force and struck Kevin while he was attempting to flee police custody, fracturing his skull and then trying to cover it up.
The police department claimed that Kevin fell 24 feet by jumping from the roof of the police department building to the building next door, a distance of nearly 13 feet.
The autopsy showed that the only injuries Kevin suffered were the two skull fractures and two bruises under his arms (as if he had been dragged.) A medical doctor hired as an expert witness by the plaintiffs testified that the type of injuries that Kevin suffered were inconsistent to a fall of that distance. Another expert witness, an athletic expert, also testified that it was impossible for anyone to jump that distance "unless they had wings."
The jury determined that the arresting police officer and the department were liable for the death of Kevin and awarded compensatory and punitive damages. The trial judge vacated the jury's verdict. A year later the appeals court reinstated the jury's verdict. The full award was paid out to the parents, plus interest.
An FBI investigation was initiated for civil rights violations and excessive force, but it's alleged that the FBI hastily investigated the case and swept it under the carpet without having a grand jury hear the case.
Thre was a movie made, entitled "The Coverup." The attorney who handled the case was instrumental in having it produced and it occasionally appears on TV and streaming channels.
Contributor: Christina (46898261) •
The police department claimed that Kevin fell 24 feet by jumping from the roof of the police department building to the building next door, a distance of nearly 13 feet.
The autopsy showed that the only injuries Kevin suffered were the two skull fractures and two bruises under his arms (as if he had been dragged.) A medical doctor hired as an expert witness by the plaintiffs testified that the type of injuries that Kevin suffered were inconsistent to a fall of that distance. Another expert witness, an athletic expert, also testified that it was impossible for anyone to jump that distance "unless they had wings."
The jury determined that the arresting police officer and the department were liable for the death of Kevin and awarded compensatory and punitive damages. The trial judge vacated the jury's verdict. A year later the appeals court reinstated the jury's verdict. The full award was paid out to the parents, plus interest.
An FBI investigation was initiated for civil rights violations and excessive force, but it's alleged that the FBI hastily investigated the case and swept it under the carpet without having a grand jury hear the case.
Thre was a movie made, entitled "The Coverup." The attorney who handled the case was instrumental in having it produced and it occasionally appears on TV and streaming channels.
Contributor: Christina (46898261) •
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