BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS Newport not at...

BRIEFLY IN

THE NEWS

Newport not at fault in jail cell beating

The state Supreme Court on Monday reversed a previous court’s

ruling and decided that the city of Newport Beach was not responsible

for injuries a man suffered while in police custody.

Craig Teter was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication and

then jailed to sober up on June 8, 1997. The next morning, another

prisoner, arrested for sleeping on the beach, joined the same cell

and severely beat Teter, leaving him with a broken eye socket and

concussion. Michael Cully, Teter’s attorney, said the beating left

his client permanently scarred and with vision problems.

An appellate court ruled in March 2002 that Teter was a detainee

and not a prisoner, and faulted the city, ordering Newport Beach to

pay Teter $175,007 in damages. The court deemed that since Teter was

released without charges, he was in civil protective custody.

The supreme court on Monday disagreed, ruling that Teter’s arrest

made him a prisoner and that the city can claim immunity, as it did.

Teter had sued the city for negligence.