Cases of Notes

EMMA BROWN, ET AL. vs. RODNEY PRICE (2004), A jury verdict of $105,000,000.00 was handed down against Defendant, Rodney Price, on wrongful death, survivorship and constitutional actions. Officer Price testified that he was acting as a police officer and acted in the scope of his employment, in fear of bodily injury, when he shot Tristin D. Little, Sr. 21 times killing him. Tristin D. Little, Sr. was survived by his mother, Emma Brown, and his two minor children, Tristin, Jr. and Britney Ross.

DWIGHT ALLEN, ET AL vs. OFFICER STUART PARKER, ET AL. (2003), Off-duty police officer shot Plaintiff Dwight Allen in the leg after a road rage argument between officer Parker and and Plaintiff Allen. Plaintiff was taken into custody after the shooting and charged with 1st degree assault. Allen was convicted of 2nd degree assault. Allen's conviction was overturned on the grounds that there was a violation of discovery rules during Allen's criminal prosecution. The civil action was filed on October 13, 2000 for assault and false imprisonment and settled in 2003 for $205,000.00.

CATRICE PARTER, ET AL. vs. RAY ANTHONY LEWIS EL AL., Went to trial on assault charges. Plaintiffs alleged to have been assaulted in a bar. After five days of trial, jury returned a Defendant's verdict (2002).

DEBORAH C. CARR, ET AL. vs. MAYOR AND CITY OF BALTIMORE, Wrongful death -- deceased was shot in the back of the head by police while on the ground and being handcuffed. Was alleged to be reaching for other officer's gun, settled for $500,000.00. Co-counsel on case was William H. Murphy, Jr., Allan B. Rabineau and Johnnie Cochran (2002).

SHERRY COLE, ET AL. vs. MIKE TYSON, Mike Tyson was alleged to have threatened and overturned a table on Plaintiffs in a Georgetown, D.C. restaurant. Settled after picking a jury (amount undisclosed) (2001).

ELI MCCOY vs. MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, Wrongful death -- Housing Authority police shot and killed McCoy as he was allegedly reaching for a weapon, Jury returned a verdict in excess of $7,000,000.00 (2001).

MAGDALENE B. FENNELL vs. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, ET AL., Wrongful Death --deceased fell into an uncovered manhole while playing on golf course, settled, (amount undisclosed) (2001).

MARGARET QUARLES, ET AL. vs. MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, Man shot at Lexington Market by police while allegedly failing to drop a knife on command. Settled $500,000.00 while picking a jury (2000).

ANGELA FEATHERSTONE, ET AL. vs. MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. Wrongful death -- teen was crushed while in back of a Marriott truck helping his father to load same, case went to trial, was settled while awaiting jury verdict (1999).

ANGEL WATKINS vs. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE BUREAU, LTD. Case involved sexual harassment in the workplace and hostile work environment. Plaintiff was allegedly raped by her supervisor. The case was tried in the U.S. District Court for Maryland in Baltimore City. The jury awarded verdict for the Plaintiff in $63,000.00. On Defendant's Motion, Judge Maletz vacated the verdict. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed. US Supreme court denied certiorari (1999). *

*Footnote: Oral arguments in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit used by MICPEL for continued education for lawyers in the State of Maryland.

STATE OF MARYLAND vs. TONY M. MURPHY, $71,000.00: Seizure of money by state police. Ordered funds returned (violation of search and seizure) (1994). Circuit Court for Cecil County.

GOODWIN vs. WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, 1983, tried in the US, District Court for the District of Columbia; largest civil verdict ever rendered by a jury against the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority, $1,000,000.00 verdict;

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MARYLAND vs. MARILYN SMITH, 1980, tried in the Circuit Court of Washington County and argued in the Court of Special Appeals; defined sanctions for violations of Consumer Protection Act of Maryland;

HEALTH COSTS REVIEW COMMISSIONS vs. FALLSTON HOSPITAL 1980, case involving administrative proceedings for Medicaid reimbursement.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT vs. NATHAN TWINING 1980, case involved the Department of Housing and Urban Development's attempt to recover moneys spent by real estate investors for land/oil purchase in the Mexico area. Administrative action and appeals proceeded to review by the US District Court Chief Judge Northrope;

JAMES SCOTT vs. SUTTON PLACE, 1977, argued in the Maryland Court of Appeals and the US District Court, established precedent in Maryland that landlords were liable for the criminal acts of third parties to tenants when said landlord had notice of prior criminal activity on the property;

ORGANIZATION OF BALTIMORE CAB DRIVERS, INCORPORATED vs. CHECKER CAB COMPANY, INCORPORATED, 1974, tried in the US District Court, injunction granted in Baltimore to restore the price of gasoline to original union and company agreement;

GEORGE D. PETTIT vs. UNITED STATES, 1972, Argued in the US Court of Claims, established standard of proof for back-pay awards in discrimination cases and was the first case in the nation to award a federal employee retroactive pay for past discrimination;

CROCKETT vs. CITY OF BALTIMORE, Supreme Court denied certiorari; upheld the unconstitutionality of the Baltimore sign ban;