Court Delivers Victory for Kimberly Handy-Jones in Civil Rights Case

The U.S. District Court has granted Kimberly Handy-Jones a substantial victory, awarding her family significant attorney fees and reaffirming the importance of civil rights protections in the tragic case surrounding her son Cordale Handy's death at the hands of St. Paul police in 2017.

On Friday August 8, the court addressed post-trial motions following two trials concerning the death of Cordale. Initially, a jury awarded Kimberly $11.5M in damages—$10M in compensatory damages and $1.5M in punitive damages— but the presiding judge later reduced this amount to $2.5 million, alongside denying attorney fees. Kimberly sought a new trial, leading to a second jury awarding $3.25M in compensatory damages in January.

The latest ruling clarified several key points. The court determined that the previous judge's refusal to award attorney's fees was "clearly erroneous," emphasizing that the Civil Rights Act's intent is to ensure prevailing plaintiffs do not bear the cost of attorney fees. 

The judge then awarded Kimberly $1.74 million in attorney's fees, but denied her request to reinstate the original $10M in compensatory damages. The court did grant the Handy-Jones family pre-judgment interest on the $1M awarded for past damages, totaling over $490,000. 

This ruling marks a pivotal moment in Kimberly's pursuit of justice and highlights ongoing discussions surrounding police accountability and civil rights in the wake of her son's death. Despite the reduced award, Kimberly has continued to advocate for justice for her son and other families affected by police violence. She established the Cordale Q. Handy In Remembrance of Me Foundation, which supports families who have lost children to police and community violence.

Learn More About the Case

Cordale’s case gained renewed attention following its review by the Reinvestigation Workgroup, a group dedicated to examining potential miscarriages of justice. Their scrutiny highlights broader systemic issues within law enforcement and emphasizes the need for accountability in cases of police violence.