On Thursday the Mississippi Supreme Court reversed and rendered a bench verdict for the plaintiffs in Gray v. City of Jackson. The case was a Tort Claims Act case where Judge William Coleman ruled for the plaintiffs. The total verdict was $400,000 to three separate plaintiffs.

Raymond police started the pursuit in Raymond. Jackson police joined the pursuit when it entered the City. Jackson police offers broke off the pursuit when the driver (Alice Wilson) began driving the wrong way down one-way streets in downtown Jackson. Wilson ran a red light at the intersection of Capital and Congress streets and collided with the plaintiffs’ vehicle. One person died and two were injured.

The plaintiffs sued the the cities of Raymond and Jackson and Wilson. The City of Raymond settled.

The Mississippi Supreme Court reversed and remanded the verdict, ruling that Jackson police officers did not act in reckless disregard for the safety of others. Key factors that the Court identified to support its position included:

• the streets were not curvy, hilly or poorly maintained;
• there was little to no traffic in downtown Jackson at the time;
• JPD officers used their blue lights and sirens;
• JPD officers did not travel at unusually high rates of speed;
• JPD officers were ordered to monitor and assist in the pursuit; and
• JPD officers were motivated to aid the Raymond officer out of a concern for his safety.

The Court concluded that based on the totality of the circumstances, JPD officers did not act with reckless disregard. Justice Carlson wrote the Court’s unanimous opinion.

Pieter Teeuwissen and Kimberly Banks represented the City of Jackson. Joe Tatum and Edward Markle represented the plaintiffs.

My Take:

Seems like the Court got this one right. This was Raymond’s pursuit.

I previously mentioned this verdict and Jackson pursuit cases in this post.