Even if a guy like Ahmad Brooks avoids prosecution for punching someone, he could still end up lighter in the wallet.
That’s precisely what has happened to Colts running back Delone Carter, who has been ordered by a jury in Syracuse, New York to compensate a man Carter punched in 2010.
According to Sara Patterson of the Syracuse Post-Standard, the jury deliberated “a couple hours” before determining that Carter should pay William “Jay” Hotaling medical expenses plus $40,000 for “pain and suffering.”
Carter admitted to the punch; the trial dealt only with the proper amount of damages. Carter thought Hotaling threw a snowball at the SUV in which Carter was riding. Surveillance video showed that Hotaling didn’t throw a snowball at anyone or anything.
He suffered multiple facial fractures, and Carter pleaded guilty to one count of harassment in 2010.
Hotaling’s lawyer will appeal the trial judge’s decision to dismiss a claim for punitive damages.
“More than anything else, Jay feels he was a crime victim and that Delone Carter should be punished for what he did,” Sidney Cominsky told Patterson. “Today’s verdict did nothing in that regard, because our punitive claim had been not allowed to go forward. Jay feels strongly, as I do, that only way to justly assess these damages, is to have a jury hear our punitive damages claim.”
Punitive damages typically are available for so-called “intentional torts.” And torts don’t get much more intentional than someone intentionally punching someone else in the face.
Carter needs to stop worrying about it for now. With the arrival of Ahmad Bradshaw and the emergence last year of Vick Ballard, Carter must turn his attention to keeping a roster spot.
He arrived as a fourth-round pick in 2011, the last year of the former Indy regime. Last season, Carter had 32 carries for 122 yards and three touchdowns.