Family of Quintonio LeGrier considers further litigation after judge rejects damages

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The family of Quintonio Legrier is considering their options Thursday after the surprising decision by the judge in their wrongful death lawsuit.

On Wednesday, a jury decided in favor of LeGrier's family and awarded $1 million in damages. LeGrier's estate was awarded $50,000 in damages.

Minutes later, the judge ruled that because the jury ruled that Officer Robert Rialmo was justified in his use of force, the jury could not award damages. The LeGrier family and estate where therefore awarded no money.

Rialmo shot and killed LeGrier and his neighbor, Bettie Jones, in 2015.

In the decision, the jury also ruled that Rialmo did suffer emotional and physical distress but did not award him any damages.

Rialmo is not speaking publicly about the verdict.

The complicated verdict form given to the jury Wednesday included three claims in the wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Chicago. There was also a question at the end called an interrogatory, which asked if the jury believed the shooting was justified.

Because the jury selected yes in the interrogatory, the award was nullified.

Personal injury attorney Cannon Lambert, who is not involved in the LeGrier case, said he has seen interrogatories added by defense lawyers, including attorneys defending the City of Chicago.

"Why is it that plaintiff's lawyers don't use them, and defense lawyers are the ones that are using them?" Lambert said. "There is a reason for it...it has an impact on outcome that favors one side over the other."

A spokesman for the City of Chicago's law department said that interrogatories are used to clarify the jury's opinion and are allowable by law.

LeGrier's parents, Antonio LeGrier and Janet Cooksey, said that while they are preparing for the possibility of more litigation, the case was never about the money.

"You never get over the grief. I think about my son every day, he's not coming back, but i still feel like justice should be served on his behalf," Antonio LeGrier said.

"I already have my sadness, and I have to come out and deal with it all over again," Cooksey said.