Posted by Editor | Posted in Personal Injury Cases in the News
A man from Mobile, AL, who was arrested in the summer of 2005 for making an obscene gesture with his middle finger at a police officer, has recently been awarded a $3,000 settlement by the city.
56-year-old Addison DeBoi pled not guilty to disorderly conduct and was acquitted. He later sued the city because he believed that the officer acted inappropriately and trumped up the charges in order to get DeBoi convicted.
However, before the case could unfold, the story of his arrest and subsequent lawsuit made national news. On his popular, controversial Fox News Channel show, commentator Bill O’Reilly profiled the case in a segment titled "Is It Legal?" O’Reilly’s determination: "This is a pinhead judge."
In the ruling on DeBoi’s case, the Judge Michael McMaken declared that precedent dictates that police officers must have “thicker skin” than a normal citizen.
The city of Mobile is contesting the award, moving for a new trial at a higher court.
