Firm Settles High-Profile Wrongful Death Case for $1.2 Million

After several years of hotly contested litigation in both Maryland State and Federal courts, Silverman Thompson has successfully resolved the litigation in a case involving the death of a juvenile committed by a Maryland Judge to a juvenile facility. The juvenile (17) died at the hands of “staff” at the facility who were administering a prone restraint. A prone restraint is a common but controversial crisis intervention technique used by staff at many juvenile facilities to control a child. Specifically it involves forcibly placing or keeping an individual’s body prone to the ground while applying pressure the body.

In our specific case, the juvenile was subjected to a prone restraint for at least three hours prior to expiring of compression asphyxiation. This incident caused the closing of a juvenile detention facility and an overhaul of the juvenile detention policies for Maryland.

The settlement to the family for the wrongful death represents the maximum amount recoverable under Maryland law and the Maryland cap on damages for wrongful death. Silverman Thompson partner Steven D. Silverman was lead trial counsel in this matter and partner Andrew G. Slutkin served as co-counsel.