 |
|||
|
|
ATI Helps Richards, Layton & Finger Clear Excessive Use of Force Claims Against Police Officers
Animation Technologies recently helped attorneys from Richards, Layton & Finger clear three Wilmington Police officers accused of use of excessive force and wrongful death in the shooting of a 20-year old man almost four years earlier. The civil suit, brought by the decedent's family, was Harry Smith III v. City of Wilmington, in the U.S. District Court of Delaware.
On April 18, 2007 the U.S. District Court of Delaware dismissed claims against each of the three officers involved in the suit, which arose from a September 2003 shooting incident. In September 2003, Harry Smith was checked into Christiana Hospital in downtown Wilmington, complaining of hearing voices. Shortly thereafter, he stole a scalpel and fled the hospital. When confronted by police, Smith, who was still armed with the scalpel, jumped into a police vehicle and led officers on a dangerous high-speed chase through city streets. After Smith managed to evade a roadblock set up by the officers and almost ran down one of the officers with the vehicle, the officers determined Smith to be a threat to others and fired their weapons at Smith, killing him.
During the weeklong trial, the defense team argued that the officers were justified in their use of force in attempting to stop Smith. To effectively present their evidence and to support expert witness testimony, the defense hired Animation Technologies, Inc. to conceptualize and create demonstratives that would prove their case. Animation Technologies created an animation that depicted the police chase through the city. The animation was synchronized with the actual recordings from the police dispatcher, which allowed the jury to hear the urgency of the situation as the officers reported their positions and the events transpiring. The animation showed Smith driving through red lights, narrowly missing cars along the route, and driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Along with the police dispatcher's voice-over on the animation, a scrolling transcription was added to help the jury understand how the events unfolded in real time. With the presentation, the witnesses were able to recreate the events of the day and show that physical evidence at the scene supported the officers' accounts of the incident.
About Animation Technologies
Animation Technologies is a litigation consulting firm focused on delivering visual solutions that optimize evidence and help attorneys win cases. Specializing in cases where complex subject matter forms the foundation of the evidence, the firm leverages the diverse technical, business, legal and design experience of its team to deliver innovative communications solutions. Primary service offerings include Visual Strategy Consulting, Demonstrative and Exhibit Development, and Trial Services. The firm has offices in Chicago, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. For additional information, go to www.animationtech.com.