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Jury Awards $4 Million After Clinton Township Officer’s Punch Blinds Man in One Eye

Jurors imposed punitive damages for malicious conduct.

Overview

  • A federal jury found Officer Broc Setty used excessive force during a 2021 non-emergency encounter and awarded Daniel Reiff $4 million in compensatory damages plus $50,000 in punitive damages.
  • Trial evidence showed Setty chased Reiff and punched him in the face, rupturing his eyeball and causing multiple facial fractures.
  • Medical testimony described the eye injury as catastrophic, led to removal of the eyeball, required multiple surgeries with permanent facial hardware, and resulted in a PTSD diagnosis.
  • Defense counsel had offered a $50,000 pretrial settlement and argued Reiff’s mental-health and substance-use history diminished his claims, a position jurors rejected.
  • Reiff’s attorneys framed the case as about constitutional limits on police force, and Fox 2 Detroit reported that Setty remains employed by the Clinton Township Police Department.