January 6 attacker ordered to pay 0,000 to family of deceased D.C. police officer.

In a significant ruling, a federal jury has ordered chiropractor David Walls-Kaufman to pay a total of 0,000 to the family of Jeffrey Smith, a Metropolitan Police officer who tragically took his own life shortly after defending the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 insurrection. The jury awarded 0,000 in punitive damages and ,000 in compensatory damages to Smith’s widow, Erin Smith, alongside an additional ,000 directed to the officer’s estate to address the suffering caused by his death.

Walls-Kaufman, aged 69, expressed shock at the jury’s decision. He had previously spent two months incarcerated after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to the events of January 6. However, he maintained that he did not directly strike Smith. The jury’s decision was influenced by evidence presented during the trial, including bodycam footage that supported claims made by Smith’s widow. Erin Smith testified that Walls-Kaufman had assaulted her husband, inflicting a head injury that contributed to Smith’s tragic decision to end his life.

Officer Smith had just returned to duty following the Capitol incident when he died by suicide in his vehicle using his service weapon. His widow asserted that the injury inflicted by Walls-Kaufman played a crucial role in that devastating outcome. The defense contended that another individual at the Capitol riot had also struck Smith, and that he did not have a history of mental illness, which may have contributed to his distress.

The litigation underscored serious concerns raised by various investigations regarding the mental health impact on law enforcement officers who responded to the Capitol riot, in which around 140 officers sustained injuries. The incident had far-reaching effects, with at least four officers who were on duty that day later dying by suicide.

In the broader context, the aftermath of the January 6 events has continued to reverberate through the nation. Following the attack, former President Donald Trump controversially referred to the individuals who clashed with law enforcement as “warriors” and described the day as a “day of love,” drawing criticism from various quarters regarding his rhetoric on the insurrection.

The ruling against Walls-Kaufman serves to highlight the ongoing discourse surrounding accountability and the psychological toll of the Capitol riot, and the extensive consequences it has inflicted on those involved—both civilians and law enforcement alike.

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