Dora McCrae, an African-American grandmother who was dragged from her car during a 1998 traffic stop (see PPR #21), came face to face with the federal jury system on February 26th‹and lost. A previous jury hearing her case had found that Officer Timothy Musgrave had used excessive force, and ordered the City to pay her about $8000 in damages. However, a judge recognized that the question of whether her civil rights were violated had not been addressed and ordered a new trial.
The new jury, all white, according to the February 27th Oregonian, thought Musgrave was in the right for "taking control" when Ms. McCrae demanded to know why he wanted to see her license and registration. He claimed he thought she was going to drive away in her van; she says she re-started the van to show him her turn-signal was working properly. McCrae's Internal Affairs complaint, set aside in November awaiting the outcome of the trial (see PPR #22), went to City Council on March 15 (details in PIIAC article). The City offered to waive court charges of over $3000 if McCrae agreed not to appeal.
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