Former Quitman Police captain awarded more than $21 million verdict against city
QUTIMAN, Texas ( KETK ) – Former Quitman Police Department captain Terry Bevill won a $21.35 million verdict in his wrongful termination lawsuit against the City of Quitman on Thursday.
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According to a press release from Bevill's representatives, Bevill filed the suit against four elected officials, David Dobbs, who served as Mayor of Quitman in 2017, Tom Castloo, the former Wood County Sheriff, Jim Wheeler, former district attorney and Jeff Fletcher, a former state district court judge for Wood County.
Bevill's lawsuit alleged he was wrongfully fired in 2017 for submitting an affidavit stating that he believed Wood County couldn't be a fair place to have the trial of David McGee, a Wood County jail administrator who was allegedly arrested for trying to get an inmate, who he was reportedly sexually involved with, released by tampering with government records.
A motion to change the venue for McGee's trial was denied and he was reportedly convicted on the charge against him after which Bevill was fired and arrested for aggravated perjury.
After 16 months, a Wood County Grand Jury decided to no-bill Bevill, meaning he wasn't indicted on any charges. Then Bevill filed his lawsuit claiming that he was fired by Dobbs because of pressure from Castloo, Wheeler and Fletcher.
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"The evidence clearly showed that a longtime and respected police officer was fired in retaliation for stating an opinion," said Bevill's attorney, Laura Benitez Geisler from the Dallas law firm of Sommerman, McCaffity, Quesada & Geisler. "Every subsequent action taken demonstrated the truth supporting that opinion, and that due process could be manipulated to fit the bias and whims of these officials. We're pleased the jury has compensated Mr. Bevill for the emotional and reputational damage he has suffered."
The jury verdict listed the following amounts in damages they felt should be awarded to Bevill:
Compensatory Damages for his termination:
Impairment of reputation in the past – $5,000,000
Impairment of reputation in the future – $1,000,000
Personal humiliation in the past – $5,000,000
Personal humiliation in the future – $1,000,000
Mental anguish and suffering in the past – $5,000,000
Mental anguish and suffering in the future – $1,000,000
Punitive Damages against the defendants:
Tom Castloo – $750,000
James Wheeler – $1,000,000
Jefferey Fletcher – $1,500,000
David Dobbs – $100,000
The City of Quitman's attorney, Lance Vincent, could not be reached for comment on this verdict and his office said the case against the city was still pending.
"This outcome is better than anything I could imagine," said Bevill. "After five long years of waiting and two weeks of testimony, the jury just verified that I was right all along. All you've got in this life is your name, and now I hope people realize what I did was the right thing to do, and I'd do it all over again."
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Bevill's lawsuit said that his firing and subsequent arrest left him without employment or health insurance need to take of his sick wife. The lawsuit also alleged that "The Wood County Sheriff's Department has a history of policies, practices and customs that encourage a culture of harassment, retaliation, and intimidation."
To see Bevill's full complaint read the following document:
