Case Explained: UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT GARRY RICHARDSON v. CITY OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN SERGEANT MIKE JACKSON ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Filed: 2026-07-01 The Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court’s denial of Garry Richardson’s motion for a new trial in his civil rights action alleging excessive force and battery against a Detroit police sergeant. The court held that the jury’s verdict for the defendant was not against the weight of the evidence, as the case turned on a credibility determination between the plaintiff and the officer regarding whether the plaintiff fell to the ground voluntarily or was thrown by the officer. Under the standard of review for abuse of discretion, the appellate court found no error in the district court’s conclusion that a reasonable jury could credit the officer’s account that the plaintiff refused identification, went limp, and dropped under his own weight while being arrested for traffic violations. Regarding evidentiary rulings, the court applied Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(c)(1) to address the late disclosure of a defense witness, concluding that the district court properly cured any prejudice by postponing the trial and allowing a deposition, thereby precluding a new trial on this ground. The court further applied Federal Rule of Evidence 403 to affirm the admission of booking records and relevant state statutes, finding their probative value regarding the plaintiff’s lack of reported injuries at the time of arrest and the legality of the stop outweighed any prejudicial effect. Finally, the court determined that defense counsel’s “golden lottery ticket” comments did not warrant a new trial because the district court issued standard instructions that attorney arguments are not evidence, and the plaintiff failed to request specific curative measures or object to all instances of the remarks. The practical consequence is that the judgment entered for Sergeant Jackson stands, and Richardson’s appeal is dismissed without relief. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.