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Domonique Moore and Cedric Warren Sue Kansas City, Kansas Police for Over 15 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment
Named defendants in federal lawsuits include the estate of notoriously corrupt Police Captain Roger Golubski, as well as police responsible for fabricating a false eyewitness identification and hiding evidence (KANSAS CITY, KANSAS) The national civil rights law firm Neufeld Scheck Brustin Hoffmann & Freudenberger, LLP (NSBHF), and the local firm Morgan Pilate LLP and national firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP today filed wrongful conviction lawsuits on behalf of Domonique Moore, age 41, and Cedric Warren, age 35, who were imprisoned for a combined total of more than 31 years for a 2009 double homicide that they did not commit. Moore and Warren were released from prison late last year on December 11, 2024. They are not available for interview but have issued the following statements: Domonique Moore: “No one should have to endure what I went through. I’m so happy for my freedom, but I want justice and accountability for the more than 15 years that the police stole from me when they framed me. I also want to thank everyone who supported and helped me through the nightmare that was my wrongful conviction. I’m grateful to my lawyers, family members, and friends who have helped me along the way.” Cedric
NSB Brings Class Action Suit Against Rochester PD for Excessive Use of Force Disproportionately Against People of Color
On April 5th, 2021, NSB attorney Katie McCarthy joined members of Free the People Roc, the National Lawyers Guild Rochester, and ten individual plaintiffs on the steps of city hall in Rochester NY after filing a “landmark civil rights lawsuit” to address a decade-long pattern of racist violence by the Rochester Police Department. The 96-page complaint outlines a systemic use of excessive force on the residents of Rochester, notably during protests in September 2020 that resulted from the release of the footage of the treatment of Daniel Prude at the hands of officers in March 2020, ultimately leading to his death. The plaintiffs are represented by NSB partners Nick Brustin and Emma Freudenberger, associate Katie McCarthy and fellow Julian Clark, with case support by paralegal Kayla Jessup, along with co-counsel Roth & Roth, LLP; BakerHostetler; Easton Thompson Kasperek Shiffrin LLP; and Joshua S. Moskovitz, Esq. Read the complaint here. Read
City of Philadelphia to settle wrongful conviction case for NSB client Chester Hollman
NSB has won a $9.8 million pre-filing settlement against the City of Philadelphia for client Chester Hollman. Mr. Hollman spent 28 years wrongfully imprisoned for a 1991 murder he did not commit before he was exonerated in 2019. Mr. Hollman’s wrongful conviction was the result of police misconduct: Philadelphia homicide detectives not only coerced two witnesses to sign fabricated statements falsely implicating Mr. Hollman, but also hid powerful evidence that other people with no connection to Mr. Hollman had committed the crime. The $9.8 million payout is one of the largest wrongful conviction settlements in Philadelphia history. Mr. Hollman is represented by NSB partners Amelia Green, Emma Freudenberger, and Peter Neufeld, and fellow Yasmin Dagne. NSB Paralegal Ty Parks provided case support to Mr. Hollman’s matter Read the Philadelphia Inquirer’s coverage here.
NSB Client Valentino Dixon Honored by the Obamas
Valentino Dixon received accolades this past holiday season for his incredible artwork. Former First Lady Michelle Obama purchased one of Valentino’s works, “Augusta The Beautiful”, as a gift for former President Barack Obama, who was so moved by the piece and the story behind the artist that he posted about it on his Instagram account. Read more about this incredible honor and Valentino’s story here.
NSB sets Ninth Circuit precedent in win for client Susan Mellen
On August 17, 2018, in a precedent-setting decision, the Ninth Circuit reinstated NSB client Susan Mellen’s wrongful conviction lawsuit. Ms. Mellen, a single mother of three, spent more than 17 years incarcerated for a brutal murder she didn’t commit. She was convicted by the perjured testimony of June Patti, an infamous liar with a long history of making false accusations to police. In her lawsuit, Ms. Mellen alleged that LAPD detective Marcella Winn, whose role in causing two other wrongful convictions has cost Los Angeles more than $13 million in settlements, buried a damning statement from Patti’s sister, a police officer, eviscerating Patti’s credibility. The Ninth Circuit ruled that Detective Winn should have produced the statement, that “other evidence suggests that Detective Winn would have taken any means necessary to secure Mellen’s conviction,” and remanded for trial. Ms. Mellen is represented by NSB partners Nick Brustin and Anna Benvenutti Hoffmann
City of Los Angeles to pay $12 million to settle wrongful conviction case brought by NSB client Susan Mellen
NSB has secured a $12 million settlement for single mother Susan Mellen and her children after they were separated for more than 17 years because of her wrongful conviction and incarceration for a brutal murder she did not commit. The settlement comes after the Ninth Circuit ruled that LAPD officer Marcella Winn should have turned over evidence proving Ms. Mellen’s innocence. Ms. Mellen is represented by NSB partners Nick Brustin and Anna Benvenutti Hoffmann and associate Rick Sawyer, along with co-counsel Deirdre O’Connor of Seamus Law and Innocence Matters. Read coverage from the Los Angeles Times coverage here. Read about NSB’s earlier Ninth Circuit victory here.
Drawings of NSB client Valentino Dixon on display at New York City art gallery
NSB client Valentino Dixon’s drawings were on display on March 13 at the Andrew Edlin Gallery in New York City. Check out Golf Digest’s coverage of the show here.
NSB client Mark Denny to run NYC Half Marathon
NSB client Mark Denny will run the NYC Half Marathon on Sunday, March 17. Check out the full coverage of Mr. Denny’s accomplishment from Pix 11 News here.
NSB secures unprecedented $21 million settlement on behalf of client Craig Coley
In February 2019, NSB secured an unprecedented $21 million out-of-court settlement with the City of Simi Valley, California on behalf of client Craig Coley. Mr. Coley was wrongly convicted of the brutal 1978 murders of a woman and her 4-year-old son and served 39 years in prison before he was pardoned by California Governor Jerry Brown, after DNA evidence and a thorough re-investigation uncovered incontrovertible evidence of his innocence. Mr. Coley’s 39-year wrongful imprisonment was the longest in California history. Mr. Coley is represented by NSB partners Nick Brustin and Anna Benvenutti Hoffmann, and fellow Katie McCarthy, along with co-counsel Ron Kaye, Barry Litt, and Lindsay Battles of Kaye, McLane, Bednarski & Litt, LLP and Michael Abrams and Alexander Brown of Lathrop Gage LLP. Read the Washington Post’s coverage here.