Clarett v. Roberts, No. 09-2805 (7th Cir. 2011)
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Officers went to plaintiff's home to question her sons about a burglary. A confrontation ensued and escalated. One of the officers Tasered plaintiff three times, and the officers arrested her for obstruction and resisting arrest. Those charges were dropped, and plaintiff sued the officers under 42 U.S.C. 1983 alleging use of excessive force and false arrest. A jury returned a verdict for the officers on all counts. The Seventh Circuit affirmed. Plaintiff waived her most plausible claim of trial error, the decision to admit two of her criminal convictions, when she introduced evidence of the convictions herself, before the officers could do so. The court also rejected claims based on evidentiary rulings and jury instructions. The parties told dramatically different stories about the confrontation and the jury was entitled to believe the officers’ version.
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