Elizabeth Wang

• CHC, et al. v. Noem, et al. (U.S. District Court for the N.D. Illinois): Won temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction enjoining DHS and its officers from violating the First and Fourth Amendment rights of protesters, religious practitioners, and observers.

• Lobato v. LVMPD, et al. (U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada): Won $34 million verdict for Kirstin Blaise Lobato, who was wrongfully convicted of murder and imprisoned for over 16 years after police detectives fabricated evidence against her. This is believed to be the largest award to a wrongfully convicted woman in U.S. history.

• Fitouri, et al. v. City and County of Denver, et al. (consolidated with Epps, et al. v. City and County of Denver, et al.) (U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado): Won $14 million verdict for protesters who alleged Denver police used excessive force against them and violated their First Amendment rights during the 2020 George Floyd protests.

• Torres v. Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept. (U.S. District Court for the C.D. California): Obtained $14 million settlement for Alexander Torres, who was wrongfully convicted of a murder he did not commit. The officers in Mr. Torres’s case suppressed exculpatory evidence and fabricated evidence against him, resulting in his wrongful imprisonment for over 20 years.

• Gray v. McInerney, et al. (U.S. District Court for the N.D. Illinois): Won $28 million verdict for Adam Gray, who was wrongfully convicted of an arson and murder he did not commit and spent over 24 years imprisoned. Chicago detectives fabricated and coerced a false confession from Mr. Gray when he was only 14 years old and fabricated evidence against him.

• Wheatt & Glover v. City of East Cleveland, et al.(U.S. District Court for the N.D. Ohio): Won $15 million verdict for Derrick Wheatt, Laurese Glover, and Eugene Johnson, who were wrongfully convicted of a murder they did not commit in 1996, as a result of police suppression of exculpatory evidence and manipulation of an eyewitness and prosecutors’ denial of access to courts. The plaintiffs spent 20 years in prison before being exonerated. In addition to the jury verdict, obtained a $4.5 million settlement from Cuyahoga County.

• Cathy Woods (a/k/a Anita Carter) v. City of Reno, et al. (U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada): Obtained nearly $10 million settlement for Anita Carter, who was wrongfully convicted of a murder she did not commit as a result of police and prosecutorial misconduct. Ms. Carter, who was mentally ill, was interrogated while in a psychiatric hospital; police and the prosecutor fabricated a false confession from her and suppressed exculpatory evidence.

• Chatman v. City of Chicago, et al.(U.S. District Court for the N.D. Illinois): Obtained $8.25 million settlement for Carl Chatman, who was wrongfully convicted of sexual assault as a result of police misconduct, including a coerced false confession and withholding of exculpatory evidence. Mr. Chatman spent over 11 years in prison before being exonerated.

• Fox v. Barnes, et al.(U.S. District Court for the N.D. Illinois): Represented Ray Fox in civil rights lawsuit alleging that deliberate indifference by prison officials to Mr. Fox’s medical needs resulted in serious brain injuries. Jury returned a $12 million verdict for Mr. Fox, among the highest recorded deliberate indifference verdicts at the time.

• Ortiz v. City of Chicago, et al.(U.S. District Court for the N.D. Illinois): Represented the administrator of the estate of May Molina, who died in Chicago police custody after being wrongfully denied medication and medical treatment. Jury returned a $1 million verdict for Ms. Molina’s estate and found that the City of Chicago’s policies and practices were responsible for her death.

• Ricky Jackson v. City of Cleveland, et al.(U.S. District Court for the N.D. Ohio): Obtained $18 million settlement for Mr. Jackson and his co-plaintiffs, who were wrongfully convicted of murder as a result of police misconduct involving, among other things, withholding exculpatory evidence and eyewitness manipulation. Mr. Jackson served 39 years in prison before being exonerated.

• Bell v. Keating, et al.(U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit): Buddy Bell was arrested at a protest for alleged disorderly conduct under a Chicago ordinance and challenged it as unconstitutional. Won decision from the Seventh Circuit striking down the ordinance’s failure-to-disperse provision as unconstitutional under the First Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The City of Chicago subsequently amended its ordinance.