EUCLID, Ohio — A jury has awarded the family of Luke Stewart, a 23-year-old man fatally shot by Euclid Police Officer Matthew Rhodes, $4.4 million compensatory damages following a wrongful death civil trial in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
Watch the full report by News 5's Sarah Buduson at 6 p.m.
The jury declined to award any punitive damages.
BREAKING: The jury declines to award punitive damages. https://t.co/mph3cZn6qY
— Sarah Buduson (@SarahBuduson) November 1, 2022
Rhodes chose not to speak with News 5 about the verdict. His attorney said the jury's service was appreciated, but "sometimes you just disagree."
Stewart was killed on March 13, 2017. Someone reported a suspicious car outside a home on South Lakeside Boulevard in Euclid. Inside, police say they found Stewart asleep. Investigators say they tried getting Stewart out of the car, believing he was under the influence.
In the process, Rhodes ended up inside Stewart’s car as the 23-year-old tried to drive away.
Inside the car, with Stewart behind the wheel, there was a struggle. Rhodes used a taser, but says it wasn't effective. He hit Stewart, but the officer said it didn’t stop him. That's when Rhodes pulled his gun and fired four times.
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit Stewart's family filed against Rhodes and the City of Euclid in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
A grand jury declined to file criminal charges against Rhodes for the shooting.
The City of Euclid released the following statement following the verdict:
"The City of Euclid and Euclid Police Department are aware of the decision made in the civil trial regarding Euclid Police Sergeant Matthew Rhodes. While we respect the judicial process, we are disappointed in the outcome of this trial and are currently evaluating our next course of action in this matter. Neither Mayor Holzheimer Gail’s office nor Euclid Police Department will be commenting any further or accepting any interviews at this time."
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