Sandra K. Mormann

Summary

The court affirmed the judgment awarding compensatory and punitive damages against the City of Manchester and a police officer after a high-speed pursuit ended with the officer's cruiser striking a motorcyclist. It held that the emergency-response immunity did not apply because the jury found the officer acted recklessly, that the pleadings gave fair notice of assault and battery claims, and that the evidence supported those claims and the punitive-damages award. The court also upheld admission of the motorcyclist's hospital statement as a dying declaration and admission of police recording policies as evidence relevant to intent.