HOUSTON, Texas (Jan. 27, 2026) –– National civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Paul Grinke, who represent the family of Charles Payne Sr., issued the following statement after a federal judge denied the City of Houston’s post-trial motions and allowed the jury’s verdict in favor of the Payne family to stand. The ruling follows a civil trial stemming from the fatal 2021 crash in which a Houston Police Department officer, traveling approximately 70 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone without lights or sirens, struck Payne’s vehicle, killing the father of seven.
Attorneys Crump and Grinke released the following statement:
“This ruling affirms what the jury made unmistakably clear: the City of Houston is accountable for the choices that led to Charles Payne’s death. We are thankful that the court rejected the City’s efforts to erase the verdict, confirming that the evidence was fully and fairly considered and that the jury’s decision was just. Charles Payne was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather whose life mattered, and his family deserved dignity, truth, and accountability without delay or deflection.”
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Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit bencrump.com.
