The widow of a Metropolitan Police Officer who killed himself 9 days after J6 in 2021 has been awarded $500,000 in restitution from a 69-year-old man. David Walls-Kaufman was already cleared in the wrongful death suit of Officer Jeffrey Smith, served a 60-day prison term for his involvement in the riot that day, and was pardoned by President Trump.
Before the eight-member jury returned the verdict of damages to be paid by Walls-Kaufman, US District Judge Ana Reyes dismissed the wrongful death claims against him. Reyes told the jury that it was not reasonable to conclude that Walls-Kaufman's actions on J6 could have led to Smith's self-inflicted death 9 days later.
The allegation brought by widow Erin Smith was that Walls-Kaufman gave her husband a concussion by striking him in the head with his own police baton. "No crime happened. I never struck the officer," Walls-Kaufman said.
As to the verdict of damages, he said, "I'm just stunned." He said the result is "absolutely ridiculous."
