ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A jury has sided with a man in his civil rights lawsuit against the City of Rochester and a Rochester police officer, awarding $375,000 in compensatory damages.
The verdict, returned on Friday in the Western District of New York, found that Officer Jonathan Laureano falsely arrested Devin Johnson, maliciously prosecuted him, and fabricated evidence to justify an unlawful traffic stop.
The incident began on August 24, 2019, when Johnson, 25 at the time, borrowed a SUV to drive to work. Officers surveilling him claimed he was “acting suspiciously” and pulled him over at the intersection of Clifford and Miller streets for allegedly failing to signal before turning.
After the stop, a loaded firearm was found in the vehicle. Johnson, who had borrowed the car and was unaware of the gun, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
Johnson spent about 14.5 months in Monroe County Jail before all charges were dismissed.
Video from Rochester Police Department Blue Light Cameras contradicted the officer’s account, showing Johnson had only moved slightly to allow Laureano to pass—a lawful act.
The City of Rochester will also be responsible for attorney’s fees and other costs associated with more than five years of litigation.
Jury awards $125,000 to family after Rochester police officer fatally shoots dog
This case follows other high-profile civil settlements involving the Rochester Police Department, including a $125,000 award to a family after an officer fatally shot a dog during an incident in 2024.
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