A federal judge has ordered a man to pay a total of $500,000 due to an assault on a police officer who passed away nine days after the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
On Monday, a panel of eight judges mandated David Walls-Kaufman, a 69-year-old chiropractor residing just blocks from the Capitol, to pay $380,000 along with $60,000 in punitive damages.
Additionally, the judge required Walls-Kaufman to pay $60,000 to the estate of the officer for his pain and suffering.
US District Judge Ana Reyes, who oversees civil cases, dismissed the widow’s wrongful death claim prior to the trial last week. She stated that it was unreasonable to conclude that Walls-Kaufman’s actions caused the traumatic brain injury that resulted in the officer’s death.
Nonetheless, the judge ruled in favor of the widow on other claims, holding Walls-Kaufman accountable for his assault on Jeffrey Smith during the Capitol riot.
Erin Smith alleges that Walls-Kaufman used her husband’s police baton to strike officers in the head, resulting in a concussion that led to psychological and physical trauma, ultimately contributing to his suicide.
The officer died by suicide on January 15, 2021, after returning to work for the first time since the Capitol insurrection. The family noted that he had no prior mental health issues before the events of January 6 and had been cleared to return to duty before his passing.
Walls-Kaufman has refuted the assault claims, maintaining that his injuries occurred later that same day. He stated, “There were no crimes. I never attacked an officer. I had no intention of attacking an officer,” calling the trial’s result “absolutely ridiculous.”
He had previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor related to the Capitol riot and received a sentence of 60 days in prison. He was later pardoned by President Trump in January, and approximately 1,600 individuals faced charges in relation to the attack.
