What happened to Ruby Johnson? Colorado grandmother awarded $3.76M in bungled SWAT raid lawsuit

Ruby Johnson, a 78-year-old grandmother and retired civil servant in Colorado, has been awarded a $3.76 million jury verdict following a disturbing incident in January 2022. A Denver Police Department SWAT team, armed with automatic weapons and arriving in an armored tank-like vehicle, mistakenly targeted Johnson's home in a bungled raid related to a stolen truck, guns, and an iPhone, based on information from Apple's "Find My" app.

This $3.76 million verdict, as highlighted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), is considered a precedent-setting decision under a new statute in the Colorado State Constitution. According to Law & Crime, this statute allows police to be held liable for violating an individual's civil rights, marking a significant step in ensuring accountability for law enforcement actions.

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Colorado grandmother Ruby Johnson awarded $3.76 million in SWAT raid lawsuit

Ruby Johnson, who lived alone in her Montbello home, was subjected to the SWAT team's search while in her robe, bonnet, and slippers, as per NBC News. The officers, donned in body armor and armed with automatic weapons, were searching for stolen items from an incident completely unrelated to Johnson.

The jury sided with Ruby Johnson on Friday, March 1, 2024, finding that Denver police Det. Gary Staab and Sgt. Gregory Buschy violated the state's constitution by hastily obtaining and executing a search warrant on her home without proper probable cause or investigation.

As reported by Law & Crime, the ACLU of Colorado filed a lawsuit on behalf of Johnson, claiming that authorities used a "hastily prepared, bare-bones, misleading affidavit" to obtain the warrant, resulting in an "illegal search" that left Johnson traumatized.

The verdict, delivered on Friday, includes $1.26 million in compensatory damages and $2.5 million in punitive damages. As per NBC News, according to the ACLU, the city of Denver will be responsible for paying the $3.76 million, with the possibility of officers Staab and Buschy being required to pay up to $25,000 if a separate lawsuit proves they acted in bad faith.

According to the same source, while Denver police were not named defendants in the lawsuit, an internal affairs review of the incident resulted in no formal discipline for officers Staab and Buschy. Both officers remain employed with the department, as confirmed by a department spokesperson in an email on Tuesday.

This landmark lawsuit was brought under a provision of a police reform bill, which was enacted in 2020, after George Floyd's murder, allowing individuals to sue police officers for state constitutional violations in state court.

The warrant issued for Ruby Johnson's home is connected to the reported theft of a white truck containing firearms, cash, and an iPhone 11. As per NBC News, Detective Gary Staab, who interviewed the truck's owner, allegedly used the owner's claims from the "Find My" app, which had pinged Ruby Johnson's address twice, as the basis for the raid.

The lawsuit reveals significant problems in relying on Apple technology. Staab allegedly failed to corroborate the location of the stolen items independently, and the "Find My" app, not designed as a law enforcement tool, provides only approximate locations. The highlighted area on the app stretched across multiple properties and blocks, raising concerns about accuracy.

The incident prompted a statement from Denver police, citing the involvement of a SWAT team due to allegations of stolen firearms possibly located in Johnson's home.

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The ACLU exposes police tech ignorance in terrifying SWAT raid on Ruby Johnson's home

According to NBC News, the ACLU emphasized the officers' lack of understanding and training in utilizing the app, stating they "did not understand" how it works before the "terrifying police raid."

As per Law & Crime, Deborah Richardson, the executive director of the ACLU of Colorado, expressed the profound impact on Johnson. Richardson said:

"Not only was her privacy violated, and invaluable possessions destroyed, but her sense of safety in her own home was ripped away, forcing her to move from the place where she had set her roots and built community in for 40 years."

Richardson acknowledged that while the trial's outcome cannot fully undo the harm caused on that fateful day, it signifies a step closer to justice for Ruby Johnson and others affected by police misconduct.

As reported by Law & Crime, the ACLU emphasized the consequences of the raid, revealing that Ruby Johnson had to relocate due to the violation of her home. Additionally, she continues to endure both physical and mental health challenges stemming from the traumatic experience.