Woman awarded $431,000 for Occupy Wall Street police actions | Live Well

Mary Tardif, 33, received the $431,250 award approximately a decade immediately after suing in 2013. She experienced sought unspecified damages for accidents she incurred as a medic for protesters at several rallies staged by the grassroots motion that started in Manhattan, spread globally, and was recognized for its refrain: “We are the 99 %.”

In an job interview, Tardif termed the verdict “very vindicating.”

“I sense like I have truly acknowledged justice for the very first time,” explained Tardif, who is effective at Broadway Advocacy Coalition where by she does indication language interpreting for Broadway shows and serves as a disability adviser.

Tardif, who has experienced epilepsy since she was 19, claimed she regarded the verdict, which identified “battery” experienced happened but no assault, a earn for all those “occupiers who under no circumstances received to see this working day or by no means acquired to have their working day in court docket.”

“It feels like a gain for all of us. I would like I could share it with them. There were being so many,” she stated, speaking of other individuals who were injured at rallies, as she celebrated at a restaurant in close proximity to the courthouse with her services dog, Daisy, a black Labrador Retriever who was with Tardif throughout the trial but was concealed from jurors.

Nick Paolucci, a New York City Regulation Section spokesperson, explained the town was “disappointed with this final result” and was examining alternatives.

He observed that a jury in 2018 experienced rejected the claims ahead of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court docket of Appeals in Manhattan reinstated the case, citing flaws in the to start with trial.

Paolucci said Tardif “was in no way thrown to the floor, as she claimed. On top of that, and unfortunately, the jury was not aware that the plaintiff experienced launched new accidents at this next demo that have been in no way alleged in the preliminary scenario.”

For the duration of opening statements, city legal professional Michael Viviano reported a police sergeant who has because been promoted to lieutenant grabbed on to Tardif’s arms on March 21, 2012, and moved her away as police were clearing a park in Union Square since she experienced place her palms on a police officer’s again.

“The plaintiff then falls to the floor. The plaintiff was not thrown,” he mentioned.

Reza Rezvani, an legal professional arguing on Tardif’s behalf, advised jurors in an opening assertion that the sergeant grabbed her with equally of his palms.

“He throws her to the floor. Her head hits the pavement,” he stated.

Tardif maintained in her 2013 lawsuit that her epileptic affliction was typically disregarded soon after she suffered violent abuses from police officers who arrested her at quite a few protests when she served as a medic. The lawsuit claimed they kicked her, walked on her limbs and tossed her to the floor.

According to demo evidence and Tardif’s statements, the violent experience at Union Sq. caused her head to slam into the ground with these types of drive that she was remaining with a everlasting brain injuries that leaves her unable to operate apart from for a work exactly where she has adaptable several hours and can at times simply call in ill when she is wholly motionless.