Ryan Ferguson vs. St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company

Case Background

On May 21, 2020, Plaintiff Ryan Ferguson filed a wrongful conviction lawsuit in the Missouri Circuit Court, Nineteenth Judicial Circuit (Case number: 20AC-CC00276). Cotton Walker presided over this case.

Cause

In 2005, authorities wrongfully convicted Ryan Ferguson of murder in Columbia, Missouri. They sentenced him to 40 years in a maximum-security prison in Jefferson City. Ferguson served nearly 10 years before his release in 2013. Kathleen Zellner took on his case as his post-conviction attorney and filed a multi-count 1983 civil rights lawsuit against the City of Columbia. She named six police officers involved in the investigation. She filed the lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri on March 10, 2014. The lawsuit alleged that the officers violated Ferguson’s constitutional rights during the investigation and his wrongful conviction.

Injuries

Ferguson’s wrongful conviction led to substantial emotional, physical, and financial harm. He endured nearly a decade in prison for a crime he did not commit, facing severe conditions at a maximum-security facility. Ferguson’s wrongful conviction infringed on his constitutional rights, including his right to a fair trial. The City of Columbia and its officers contributed to his wrongful conviction, causing him severe distress and lifelong repercussions.

Damages

Ferguson’s legal team, led by Kathleen Zellner and co-counsel Michael G. Berry, pursued extensive legal action to secure compensation for his wrongful conviction. In 2017, after securing a consent judgment on liability, a bench trial on damages resulted in a verdict of $11,004,000. However, the police officers involved could not cover the full amount of the judgment, which totaled $2,725,000. Zellner proceeded to obtain an assignment of the officers’ claims to pursue garnishment and bad faith action against Travelers Indemnity Company, the insurer of the City of Columbia. In 2019, Zellner and Berry won an appeal in the Western District Appellate Court of Missouri, which ordered Travelers to pay Ferguson $5,354,000 for its policy period from 2006 to 2011. This legal victory resulted in the payment from Travelers in 2020.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal representation

  • Plaintiff(s): Ryan Ferguson
    • Counsel for Plaintiff: Kathleen T. Zellner | Michael G. Berry | Wayne Jordan | Kathryn A. Thomas
  • Defendant(s): Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company
    • Counsel for Defendants: Evan Stephenson | Christopher Harper

Claims

Ferguson and his legal team filed multiple claims, including a multi-count 1983 civil rights lawsuit against the City of Columbia and its officers. The claims asserted violations of Ferguson’s constitutional rights due to the wrongful investigation and his wrongful conviction. After securing a consent judgment on liability, the legal team pursued garnishment actions and bad faith claims against Travelers. These claims were based on Travelers’ refusal to negotiate and honor its insurance policy. The claims were ultimately successful.  The officers continued their bad faith claim. These actions were crucial in securing justice for Ferguson and holding the responsible parties accountable for their wrongful conduct.

Defense

The defense argued that the City of Columbia and its officers had acted within the scope of their duties during the investigation of Ryan Ferguson’s case. They contended that the actions taken by law enforcement were based on the available evidence at the time and that Ferguson’s wrongful conviction resulted from the legal process rather than any misconduct on their part. The defense claimed that Travelers Indemnity Company was not liable for the damages. They argued that the insurance policy in question had not been in effect at the time of Ferguson’s arrest. Additionally, they maintained that the officers were entitled to qualified immunity. They asserted that the officers should not be held financially responsible for the wrongful conviction. Despite these defenses, the court found in favor of Ferguson. The court ultimately ruled that the defendants were liable for violations of his constitutional rights.

Jury Verdict

On November 1, 2024, after deliberating for 1 hour and 15 minutes, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Ryan Ferguson, awarding him a total of $37,900,000. The verdict included $2,900,000 in actual damages and $35,000,000 in punitive damages. The jury determined that the officers involved in the wrongful investigation and conviction of Ferguson were responsible for the harm he suffered. As part of the verdict, the officers received 14 percent of the total amount, equating to $2,900,000.

Court Documents:

Documents are available for purchase upon request at jurimatic@exlitem.com