A federal jury has awarded $1.6 million in damages to a woman and her husband over a 2013 incident involving two Las Cruces police officers.
The verdict was reached last Friday after a five-day trial in U.S. District Court.
According to a Las Cruces Sun News report, a city police officer threw Jillian Beck onto gravel and slammed her face into rocks — causing profuse bleeding, a broken nose and a fractured wrist.
Jurors also concluded another policeman unlawfully seized and arrested Andrew Beck after officers were called out to a January 2013 dispute between neighbors.
The couple filed a civil-rights lawsuit against the two officers, who are still employed by the city.
The Becks were awarded $1 million in punitive damages and $600,000 in compensatory damages.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
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