Proffitt & Cox recently represented a college student who was wrongly arrested and charged with robbing a cashier at a store at knifepoint. In fact, police wrongly identified him as a suspect after the student was seen on city surveillance cameras walking up a street several blocks away at about the time the robbery occurred. The student vigorously denied he had robbed the store and repeatedly told police he was simply walking to football practice.

Further investigation by police and closer study of the surveillance video revealed that the student was not the robber. In fact, the robber had run from the store before the student was seen on street surveillance video. Police dropped the case and the charges were dismissed.

However, the student had spent nearly a month in jail because he could not afford to post bond. His reputation was damaged, he was understandably angry and hurt, his semester and grades were ruined, and he lost his spot on the football team.

With Proffitt & Cox’s help, the student filed a lawsuit against the municipality and police department for false imprisonment and wrongful prosecution. The case was successfully resolved at mediation and a substantial settlement was paid to the estate and family.