Judge denies request to reduce damages in wrongful death suit

A federal judge has denied a motion by the city of Minneapolis to reduce a $1.8 million judgment against two police officers found liable in a wrongful death lawsuit.

The lawsuit stems from the case of Dominic Felder, who was unarmed and reportedly experiencing a mental breakdown when officers Jason King and Lawrence Loonsfoot shot and killed him in 2006. Felder's mother sued and last year, a jury awarded one of the largest officer conduct related judgments in the city's history.

The city filed a motion for a new trial and requested that the judge reduce the award to a little more than $100,000. But in an order issued earlier this week, Judge David Doty wrote that the jury awarded damages within its discretion.

Doty also approved more than $372,000 for Felder family attorney's fees. That pushes the total payout by the city to just under $2.2 million.

City officials didn't immediately respond to a request seeking comment.