Federal jury exonerates Columbia PD officers in 2016 excessive force lawsuit

A federal jury has ruled in favor of two Columbia police officers accused of excessive force and other civil rights violations in a July 2014 arrest outside of a local pub.

Jordan R. Pfenenger sued officers Lori Simpson and Patrick Corcoran after his arrest on suspicion of third-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, misdemeanor resisting arrest and trespassing on July 10, 2014 outside of Willie’s Pub and Pool at 1109 E. Broadway.

Those charges were dropped in December 2015, but Pfenenger accused the officers in July 2016 in a federal civil rights lawsuit of excessive force, battery and false imprisonment.

During a three-day trial that began July 9 in Jefferson City, a jury ruled in favor of the officers on all three counts, deciding that the officers did not violate Pfenenger’s civil rights.

Read more: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/20180720/federal-jury-exonerates-cpd-officers-in-2016-excessive-force-lawsuit