A St. Louis judge awarded nearly $23.5 million to Luther Hall, a former police officer who was brutally beaten by colleagues while working undercover during a protest in 2017.
The incident occurred during demonstrations following the acquittal of a former St. Louis officer, Jason Stockley, on a murder charge related to the shooting death of a Black man.
Hall, who settled a separate lawsuit with the city for $5 million, sued three former colleagues — Randy Hays, Dustin Boone, and Christopher Myers — for their involvement in the attack.
While Hays never responded to the lawsuit, a default judgment was issued in Hall’s favor. Testimony on damages was heard Monday.
Hall suffered severe physical and emotional trauma from the beating, including herniated discs, a jaw injury, and gallstones requiring surgeries. The judge remarked on the egregiousness of the situation, emphasizing that Hall endured the violence from colleagues sworn to serve and protect.
Hays, currently in prison, has one year to contest the judgment. The attack occurred days after Stockley’s acquittal, prompting Hall’s uniformed colleagues to order him to the ground before assaulting him.
In connection with Hall’s injuries, Hays, Boone, Myers, and another officer were indicted in 2018.
Boone was convicted and sentenced to federal prison, while Myers received probation after pleading guilty. Colletta received probation for lying to the FBI, and Korte was acquitted.
The city of St. Louis also settled for nearly $5.2 million last year over allegations of police rights violations during protests after the Stockley verdict, further underscoring the tumultuous aftermath of the incident.
