Jury Agrees With Patrick Deedon’s Client

In February 2014, Patrick Deedon obtained a defense verdict for his client in a highly contested battery/sexual orientation trial. The jury trial lasted six days and after 1 hour and 20 minutes of deliberations, the jury returned a defense verdict in favor of self-defense.

Plaintiff, a gay man, claimed that he was brutally beaten by Mr. Deedon’s client, the defendant, on November 19, 2008. Plaintiff claimed that he was punched with defendant’s fists 40-50 times in the head and upper body areas, kicked twice in the abdomen and back areas, and called a “faggot” during the physical altercation. Plaintiff filed suit claiming battery and violation of California’s Ralph Act (Civil Code section 51.7) alleging that he was brutally beaten and targeted due to his sexual orientation. Plaintiff claimed approximately $188,000 in paid medical expenses, $42,000 in wage loss, and over $900,000 in past and future pain and suffering. Plaintiff’s claimed injuries included headaches, neck pain requiring injections, incontinence requiring three surgical procedures, tinnitus, vertigo, abrasions, bruising, nosebleeds, and PTSD. Additionally, he sought punitive damages and attorney fees.

Mr. Deedon’s client asserted that he acted in self-defense and punched plaintiff only three times in the head area to ward off an attack by the plaintiff. Defendant had no injuries to his hands. Defendant also asserted that the plaintiff’s version of the altercation was inconsistent, did not correlate to emergency room records, and that his claimed injures were not related to the altercation. The jury agreed and rendered a defense verdict in favor of Mr. Deedon’s client.