In a recent jury decision, three undercover Pittsburgh police officers were deemed to have violated a man's constitutional rights during a 2018 altercation at Kopy's Bar, a venue on Pittsburgh's South Side. As reported by WTAE, the jury found that Officers David Honick and David Lincoln used excessive force, and Officer Brian Burgunder engaged in malicious prosecution following the incident. The sole remaining plaintiff, a member of the Pagans Motorcycle Club involved in the melee, was awarded $70,000 after refusing a city settlement offer.
Frank DeLuca, who was at the bar during the undercover drug operation, stated, as per TribLive, "I got socially profiled by dirty cops." Despite being offered a hefty sum to settle out of court, DeLuca was adamant about having his day in court, “Anybody can [now] look up the court testimony,” he said, “they can see that they’re dirty. They lied about it — on the stand.” The jury did, however, only award nominal damages for DeLuca's pain, suffering, and financial losses incurred due to the incident, opting instead to impose punitive damages on the officers amounting to $70,000 collectively, costs which the City of Pittsburgh will ultimately bear.
The physical confrontation at the bar occurred on October 12, 2018, under the auspices of what was supposed to be a covert operation. The undercover officers, who had been at Kopy's Bar since the evening and reportedly drank heavily, clashed with the Pagans around midnight. The altercation was suggested by surveillance footage and subsequent arrests of the Pagans on aggravated assault, conspiracy, and riot charges, all of which were later dropped by the Allegheny County District Attorney's office.
After the jury's decision, reactions from both sides showed the strong emotions and controversy surrounding the event that has impacted Pittsburgh's police and community. The accused officers' representatives have stayed silent after the verdict, leaving the city to continue reflecting on the ethics and accountability of its police.
