A federal jury this afternoon rejected a man’s claim that a Denver police officer violated his civil rights and injured his hand during a 2007 encounter.
Instead, the jury found officer Vicki Ferrari not liable in the civil case. David Kraus, the manager of a Grease Monkey repair shop on East Colfax Avenue in Denver, sued Ferrari in 2008, saying she wrongfully arrested him the year before when he attempted to get Ferrari to move her patrol car from partially blocking the entrance to his shop. He claimed Ferrari was out of control and handcuffed him so tightly during the arrest that it caused permanent damage to his right hand.
The officer countered that Kraus was irate during the encounter and presented a threat to her and fellow officers.
Ferrari, who is still a DPD officer, is perhaps best known as a one-time contestant on the television show “American Gladiators.” She also works part-time as a traffic reporter for 9News.
John Ingold: 303-954-1068 or jingold@denverpost.com.
