Johnson v. Breeden.

• Position: FAILURE TO PROTECT - Case regarding lawyers fees - Brief Article

U.S. Appeals Court

OFFICER ON PRISONER ASSAULT

Johnson v. Breeden, 280 F.3d 1308 (11th Cir. 2002). A state prisoner brought a [section] 1983 action against corrections officers alleging that they used excessive force on him in violation of the Eighth Amendment. The district court entered judgment for the prisoner and awarded $25,000 in compensatory damages, $45,000 in punitive damages and attorney fees and expenses in the amount of $85,268. The officers appealed and the appeals court affirmed the award of compensatory damages but vacated the punitive damages and attorney fee awards and remanded the case for determination. The...