ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Six jurors in federal court on Monday afternoon found former Orlando police Officer William Escobar guilty of excessive force, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress in the civil case.
Officer Joel Williams was cleared in the civil trial against the two Orlando police officers and the city of Orlando.
Refus Holloway sued Escobar and Williams. Holloway said he was beaten and kicked while handcuffed in March 2014.
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The jurors awarded $15,500 in damages to Holloway.
"I'm happy for the verdict that we did get. It could’ve been better. I'm happy it wasn't worse,” Holloway told Channel 9’s Jeff Deal.
Holloway told us he’s happy because the verdict showed Escobar did something wrong, but his attorney’s felt it didn’t send a strong enough message.
“They pretty much got away with something that everyone was able to see,” Carlus Haynes, Holloway's attorney said.
The two officers were acquitted on criminal charges.
Escobar is fighting to get his job back with the Orlando Police Department.
Holloway is a former military police officer. His charges of resisting arrest and battery on a law enforcement officer were dismissed after the video surfaced.
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Former Chief Judge Belvin Perry and WFTV legal analyst told Eyewitness News that juries in the Middle District of Florida are known to be conservative. He said he isn’t surprised by the dollar amount awarded.
“One thing this jury did not do was treat it as a lottery where someone gets rich quick off a jury verdict,” Perry said.
Cox Media Group
