Cy Hill, a partner in the firm's Charleston office, recently received a defense verdict for his client, the Monongalia County Commission, in a jury trial in Monongalia County, West Virginia.

The case involved a police shooting of a suspect who had brandished a knife and attempted to get juveniles into her vehicle, attempted to strike a police officer with her vehicle during a traffic stop, and then led police on a high-speed chase before attempting to strike a second officer with her vehicle.  The Plaintiff alleged that the County's 911 call center failed to communicate to responding officers that the suspect had a history of mental health issues and that the police officers were negligent in their high-risk vehicle approach tactics, thereby escalating the situation to the point that lethal force was deemed necessary.  The Plaintiff further alleged that these actions evidenced negligent training on the part of the County.

After a five day trial and less than two hours of deliberations, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Monongalia County Commission.