Jury awards $3M in punitive damages in suit vs. cop

A Brooklyn federal jury Monday added $3 million in punitive damages to $16.6 million awarded last week to a former Long Island construction worker who lost a leg in 2004 when a Nassau County police officer ran him over during an arrest.

Thomas Hartmann, 41, who had sued Nassau County and Det. Karl Snelders over the incident, said he was pleased with the verdict but didn't think it should have taken six years and a jury trial to be compensated.

"I'm happy with the jury and the judge that they saw the truth," said Hartmann, now of Mount Vernon, who lost his right leg six inches above the knee and walks with a prosthetic leg. "Hopefully this won't happen to anyone else. But they should have made offers throughout the whole six years."

In the March 2004 incident that gave rise to the case, Hartmann was wanted for making harassing calls to his wife and threatening police, both misdemeanors. He said that when police found him the next day in a residential neighborhood in Oceanside, he ran away and Snelders ran him down with his car, crushing his legs.

Snelders, a 24-year veteran of the force, told the nine-person jury that he tried to knock Hartmann over with his car after Hartmann made a move as if he had a gun. But no gun was found. Jurors found that Snelders - who will be indemnified for damages by the county - acted with either "evil intent" or "callous disregard" for Hartmann.

Garrett Swenson, a lawyer from Brookhaven brought in by the county in January to represent Snelders, had no comment on the punitive damages. The county can still seek to overturn or reduce the verdict.

"This sends a message to the police that it's unacceptable under the Constitution to sever the limbs of people in the streets," said Daniel Hansen, one of Hartmann's lawyers.

The plaintiffs offered to settle the case in 2006 for $7.5 million.

Several legal observers said the total $19.6 million  verdict might be the largest ever in a police brutality case on Long  Island.

“Based on my memory, this would be the largest verdict for a single  plaintiff in a police excessive force case that I can remember,” said  Fred Brewington, a Hempstead civil rights litigator on Long Island  for 25 years.