On October 13, 2022, a Multnomah County jury awarded several million dollars to two people who suffered physical and emotional injuries in a 2016 gas explosion in Portland, and assessed punitive damages of $4.6 million against Loy Clark Pipeline Co. Both plaintiffs were represented by Greg Kafoury and Mark McDougal of Portland. Firefighters responded after a natural gas explosion … Continue reading
In August 2014, Barneys New York and Macy’s flagship store in Manhattan agreed to pay penalties of $525,000 and $650,000 respectively after the New York attorney general conducted monthslong investigations into repeated racial profiling complaints by shoppers. In the Barneys investigation, the attorney general found that security staff accused an overwhelming number of black and Latino customers of shoplifting and … Continue reading
A forty-seven year old African-American man, James Waters, was mowing a lawn for work in NE Portland when two vans full of Portland Police officers wearing storm-trooper-type outfits and bearing high-powered weapons pulled up in front of the house. Officers had been monitoring Mr. Waters using an airplane and ground surveillance to plan the Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) arrest. One … Continue reading
President Barak Obama recently proposed a $263 million federal spending package, $75 million of which would be used to fund putting body cameras on 50,000 police officers around the country. The remaining funds would be used to expand police training and reform programs in the wake of a grand jury’s decision not to indict a Ferguson, Missouri police officer who … Continue reading
The time has come for the Portland City Council to approve the use of body video cameras on all Portland Police officers. The ineffectiveness of Portland Police review boards and internal affairs investigations have created a system where Portland Police officers can ignore their responsibilities as peacekeepers and civil servants. This allows officers to abuse citizens with no repercussions. Body … Continue reading
According to the City of Portland’s Risk Management Division and the reporting of the Oregonian’s Aimee Green, Kafoury & McDougal have won the two highest jury verdicts against the Portland Police ever awarded in the history of the City of Portland for Portland Police matters. K&M has also reached the largest settlement ever against the city. Below are articles,videos and … Continue reading
A Multnomah County jury awarded $562,000 to Jason Cox, a local iron worker who was beaten, including 6-8 blows to his head while being tasered 4 times, by the Portland Police during an arrest. The award is every penny the plaintiff asked for in the claim against the city. On the night of the incident, Mr. Cox drove his 1969 … Continue reading
A Multnomah County jury awarded $67,000 to Teresa White and Deante Strickland on November 21, 2012. The case involved an African American mother and son who were falsely arrested by Walgreens manager Wendy Marceau back in May of 2012. Marceau called the police and reported that there was a “theft in progress” and that Ms. White had “put 15 items … Continue reading
On April 27th, 32-year-old Portland cyclist, Stephen Stiffler suffered a broken clavicle among other injuries after a run in with Portland Police officer, Charles Harris. The tentative claim is for $65,000, but that may change depending on how Stiffler heals. Stiffler is being represented by Jason Kafoury, who recently won $306,000 for a client, in another case of Police misconduct. … Continue reading
On September 21, 2011, Morgan Harty was pulled over for not wearing her seatbelt. Officer Thorsen asked my client to take a field sobriety test, and she refused, as she had a legal right to do. She offered instead to take a breathalyzer. Officer Thorsen called for cover and Officer Villanti arrived at the scene. Thorsen told Villanti that Ms. … Continue reading
A Multnomah County Jury awarded Gallagher Smith $306,000 against the City of Portland for false arrest, battery, and malicious prosecution. Smith suffered physical and emotional injuries when he was grabbed, beaten, tased, maced, and hog-tied by Portland Police officers after questioning their authority to order him off a public sidewalk. Officers Sean McFarland and Patrick Johnson were acting at the … Continue reading
