Source:
Associated PressSACRAMENTO, Calif.—California's politically powerful prison guards union will appeal a $12 million verdict by a federal jury in a defamation and breach of contract case, the union's lawyer said Saturday. The jury in Sacramento federal court awarded more than $10 million in punitive damages Friday to former officials of Corrections USA, a California-based national coalition of prison guard unions. That's on top of $2.6 million awarded by the same jury earlier in the week for financial losses.
More than $12 million of the verdict is against the California Correctional Peace Officers Association. The union was accused in the three-year-old lawsuit of taking over Corrections USA and removing its previous officers. The balance of the award is against Corrections USA and two of its officers.
The jury found officials with the union and Corrections USA broke contracts, spread lies about Corrections USA's founder and two other plaintiffs, and harmed their financial future as the union was seizing control of the national organization.
Read more:
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16416617