MANCHESTER, Iowa — The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld a significant jury award against the city of Manchester and a former police officer following a fatal police chase. The ruling involves a payment of $4.25 million and an additional $10,000 in punitive damages for assault and battery.

The case centers around a December 2020 chase where Lt. James Wessels was found to have intentionally struck Gus Mormann's motorcycle. The jury determined that Wessels committed an assault without justification.

"Because they committed an assault without justification, whether they have the immunity or not, whether it's an emergency or not, doesn't allow police officers - it cannot allow police officers to commit assaults without justification," said Dave O’Brien, the attorney for the Mormann family.

The

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