Morant’s wife Kim (right) holds the form that has the verdict.
A federal jury on Friday awarded $38 million to Stefon Morant, a man who spent 21 years behind bars for a 1990 double murder he has long claimed he did not commit.
The jurors found that the City of New Haven and former Dets. Vincent Raucci and Vaughn Maher are liable under federal law for the misconduct that sent Morant to prison.
The decision came after two-and-a-half days of deliberation. As the verdict was announced at around 1:45 p.m. Friday, Morant and former Dets. Michael Sweeney and Maher watched with bated breath from the front of the courtroom. Morant’s wife and mother sat in the back. Raucci was not in the room.
“I cannot say today is the end,” because there will likely be appeals and post-trial motions, U.S. Judge Sarala Nagala said to Morant. “What I can say is that today, this jury … concluded that you were denied many constitutional rights that you were entitled to.”
The jury found Raucci liable on all counts. They found that he committed malicious prosecution, withheld favorable evidence, coerced witnesses, fabricated evidence, and engaged in a conspiracy to violate Morant’s rights. They also ruled that the City of New Haven is liable due to its “widespread practice” of suppressing exculpatory evidence.
The jury exonerated Sweeney, the only detective who has come forward over the years to speak out about Raucci’s misconduct.
“We have the best legal system in the entire world,” said Thomas Gerarde, the City of New Haven’s attorney in this trial. The ten-person jury sacrificed five weeks of their time to decide this case, he said.
Gerarde said he would need to discuss next steps and other options with the city before commenting on the potential for an appeal. Asked who is now responsible for paying the $38 million, Gerarde said it is too soon to say.
When asked if the City of New Haven, rather than the individual defendants, would be required to pay $38 million in damages, Nick Brustin — one of Morant’s attorneys — said, “We can collect from anybody, but the City of New Haven is directly liable as a result of their pattern and practice of unconstitutional conduct that caused this conviction.”
Raucci, who was found liable on every count of Morant’s civil lawsuit, will “unfortunately” see “no additional accountability other than the jury verdict,” Brustin said.
Morant gathered with his mom Linda, his wife Kim, and his team of lawyers outside court Friday afternoon to celebrate the verdict.
“It means a lot,” Morant said. “It means that, hopefully, I can get on with my life and move forward. It’s still not over,” given the possibility of appeals. But, “for me and my family, we’re going to enjoy this victory today and move forward.”
Asked by NBC Connecticut’s Kyle Jones about what was going through his head when he slammed his hand on the table in front of him upon hearing the jury’s verdict, Morant said, “I stood on my faith and I still stand on my faith.”
“We saw it up close and personal,” added Brustin, “and what was happening in the 90s is just astonishing. We do this all over the country and the systemic problems in New Haven were as severe and widespread as we’ve ever seen.” Through the years, he continued, the city has refused “to see it,” “fix it,” or even “acknowledge it.”
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Brustin.
In an email statement provided to the Independent Friday afternoon, Mayor Justin Elicker said the city will appeal Friday’s verdict.
“The actions and conduct that the jury found Mr. Raucci and Mr. Maher committed are reprehensible, and the pain and suffering that Mr. Morant endured cannot be conveyed in words,” Elicker said.
He added, “At the same time, we are deeply disappointed and disagree with the jury’s verdict, and it is the city’s position that there was not a ‘widespread practice’ of misconduct as alleged at the New Haven Police Department. The New Haven Police Department had clear policies, practices and training for its officers at the time of this incident and never condoned the deviation from this code of conduct or an individual’s constitutional civil rights.” (See below for Elicker’s comment in full.)
City spokesperson Lenny Speiller also told the Independent that, per Corporation Counsel Allison Jacobs, “the city is not responsible for indemnifying the individual defendants.”
Morant first filed a wrongful-conviction lawsuit against the City of New Haven and six former detectives in 2022. The case has been litigated over the last month in Judge Nagala’s courtroom.
Friday’s $38 million award for Morant comes nearly a decade after the City of New Haven, under former Mayor Toni Harp, reached a $9.5 million wrongful-conviction settlement with Morant’s alleged co-conspirator, Scott Lewis.
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