Man who lost eye awarded $4M verdict after suing Clinton Township officer who punched him in face

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CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) - A federal jury awarded a Michigan man a $4 million verdict in an excessive force civil rights lawsuit after he lost his eye during a violent encounter with a Clinton Township police officer in 2021.

Daniel Reiff's eye was ruptured during a struggle with Officer Broc Setty, who is still employed by the department.

The backstory:

According to Marko Law, police were called in April 2021 by a person reporting people cutting through a yard. When Setty arrived and encountered Reiff, he allegedly ran. Setty chased Reiff while yelling, "Whoo, baby, I’m gonna tase you, bro."

Attorneys for Reiff said that when Setty caught up with Reiff, he punched him in the face, squishing his eye "like a grape," according to medical testimony. Reiff also suffered facial fractures that required multiple surgeries.

Dig deeper:

"The defense told us a jury would never value Daniel Reiff’s life or his injuries because of who he is. Today, eight citizens said otherwise. They sent a powerful message that constitutional rights belong to everyone—and that when an officer crosses the line, the community will hold them accountable," attorney Jon Marko said.

Marko Law said that the defense argued that a jury would never return a significant verdict for "a person like Dan," citing Reiff’s history of mental health challenges and substance abuse. The defense offered only $50,000 to resolve the case prior to trial.

"This verdict is about accountability and equal justice under the law," said attorney Michael Jones, who represented Reiff. "This was a non-emergency call. There was no justification for what happened. The jury made clear that no one is disposable, no one is beneath the Constitution, and police officers do not get a free pass to use violence out of anger or frustration."

In addition to a $4 million compensatory award, Reiff was also awarded $50,000 in punitive damages.

The Source: This information is from Marko Law and previous reporting.