Overview
- A federal jury found the City of Houston liable for Charles Payne’s 2021 death, concluding the city’s inadequate driving policy was a moving force in a constitutional violation.
- The city attorney said officials will review the record and weigh an appeal within the 30‑day window, citing Fifth Circuit standards in similar cases.
- Evidence at trial showed Officer Christopher Cabrera was driving about 70 mph in a 35 mph zone without lights or sirens while returning to a station rather than responding to an emergency.
- Cabrera was suspended for 45 days after the crash, faced no criminal charges, and was previously dismissed from the civil case on qualified immunity grounds.
- Plaintiffs argued department practices, including administrative deadlines, encouraged speeding, and testimony described a lack of specific non-emergency driving limits compared with other local agencies.