ALF Posted October 31, 2019 Posted October 31, 2019 A federal appeals court in Colorado ruled Tuesday that a local police department does not have to compensate a homeowner whose house was destroyed by 19 hours of gunfire between officers and an armed shoplifting suspect who had chosen to barricade himself inside to evade arrest. Lech’s home, valued $580,000, was marked for demolition in 2015 after a SWAT team used armored vehicles to breach the structure, deployed tear gas and explosives and shot 40 mm rounds in an effort to drive the suspect out after he refused to surrender and shot at officers, the Post reported. The suspect broke into the house when no one was home to use it as a hideout. Lech's attorney told the Post that his home insurance company paid him $345,000 for the damage but that amount did not come close to covering additional costs related to personal property damage, demolishing and rebuilding the home and taking out a new mortgage on the new house. “It’s a miracle insurance covered any of it in the first place,” attorney Rachel Maxam told the Post. “Insurance is for fires, floods. There’s no ‘police blew up my house’ insurance.” https://www.foxnews.com/us/colorado-federal-court-rules-police-dept-owes-homeowner-nothing-after-swat-destroys-his-house
Saxum Posted October 31, 2019 Posted October 31, 2019 It is Colorado. Judge was probably on reefer high. He will probably need to get compensation in civil court.
Nextmanup Posted October 31, 2019 Posted October 31, 2019 1 hour ago, Limeaid said: It is Colorado. Judge was probably on reefer high. He will probably need to get compensation in civil court. This was a civil proceeding. The party here who he can most easily get some type of verdict against is the armed shoplifting suspect who held up inside his house. But that guy is a scumbag with no money, so he had to go after someone with cash. That's why he went after the governmental entity in the first place...they actually have money to give him if he wins. No surprise that that wouldn't work though. He's pretty much screwed at this point. Could possibly try to go after the insurance company if he thinks he can show they are in breech of whatever insurance policy he had with them, but his attorney seems to be suggesting that won't work.
Recommended Posts