Denver Jury Awards $3.76 Million in SWAT Raid Case

The verdict highlights significant issues of police accountability and the impact of a new Colorado law allowing lawsuits for state constitutional violations.

• A Denver jury awarded $3.76 million to 78-year-old Ruby Johnson after finding two Denver Police officers guilty of violating her constitutional rights during a SWAT raid.
• The raid, based on an inaccurate search warrant for a stolen truck and goods, resulted in significant damage to Johnson's home and emotional distress.
• The case, supported by the ACLU of Colorado, marks a significant application of a new Colorado law allowing individuals to sue police for state constitutional violations.
• Johnson, a retired postal worker, was forced to move out of her home of over 40 years due to the trauma inflicted by the raid.
• The Denver Police Department declined to comment on the case, which has drawn attention to issues of police accountability and the use of force in obtaining search warrants.

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