A former police officer, Luther Hall, was awarded $23 million by a Missouri judge as a default judgment against one of his former colleagues for a 2017 attack during a protest against police violence in St. Louis. Mr. Hall, who is Black, was beaten by white officers while working undercover during the protest, which was organized in response to the acquittal of a white police officer who killed a Black man in 2011. The assault left Mr. Hall with severe injuries, including a concussion, and eventually led to his early retirement from the police force after a 22-year career.
The incident occurred during days of demonstrations in downtown St. Louis, where police officers clashed with protesters using tear gas and pepper balls. Despite this, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department praised its officers for showing “great restraint” during the protests. Mr. Hall and his partner were embedded among the protesters with the task of arresting anyone inciting violence or damaging property. However, when ordered to the ground by a police officer, Mr. Hall was viciously attacked, resulting in injuries to his head and body, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder.
The judge in the case, Joseph Whyte, noted that one of the officers involved in the attack, Randy Hays, showed “complete indifference” to Mr. Hall, an unarmed African American doing nothing wrong. Mr. Hays, who later pleaded guilty to a felony count of deprivation of civil rights, expressed in a text message to another officer that if the beating had been of a protester, it “wouldn’t be a problem at all.” Despite being served with Mr. Hall’s lawsuit while in prison, Mr. Hays failed to respond, leading to the default judgment against him.
In addition to the $23 million judgment against one officer, Mr. Hall previously won a $5 million settlement in a civil case against the city of St. Louis and settled with a fourth officer, Bailey Colletta, for an undisclosed sum. Ms. Colletta was later sentenced to probation and imprisonment for perjury related to her false testimony regarding the incident. Mr. Hall also has pending claims against two other officers involved in the attack, Dustin Boone and Christopher Myers, who were sentenced to prison and probation, respectively.
Despite the legal victories, Mr. Hall continues to seek justice and collect an arbitration award against a fifth officer, Steve Korte, who was acquitted in the federal case involving the incident. The former officer’s case sheds light on the issue of police violence, particularly against minority communities, and raises questions about accountability and justice within law enforcement. The substantial judgment awarded to Mr. Hall reflects the serious nature of the attack he endured and the lasting impact it had on his life and career.
