LOS ANGELES -- A jury on Thursday awarded more than $4.4 million to a high school girls basketball coach who was accused of molesting a student but was never charged with a crime.
Patrick Gillan sued the San Marino Police Department in May 2002, claiming defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress arising from false arrest.
The jury awarded Gillan $1.93 million for past damages and $2.5 million for future loss of earnings. Jurors also awarded him $17,430 in punitive damages.
Gillan was coach of the girls basketball team at San Marino High School when he was arrested in December 2001 for investigation of sexually assaulting a female student who alleged she was molested several times when she was 17.
Police later held a news conference and showed Gillan's mug shot, which was then broadcast on television stations and published in newspapers.
Superior Court Judge Robert O'Brien ruled Thursday that there was no probable cause for the arrest.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug=Coach%20Lawsuit
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