A federal jury in the Southern District of Texas has awarded $13 million to relatives of Charles Payne Sr., who was killed when a Houston police officer—whom plaintiffs lawyers said was speeding and not responding to an emergency—struck and killed him. The jury found the city of Houston liable for Payne's death. It found the city failed to train and supervise police officers adequately and to set policies to prevent high-speed accidents. The lack of city policies contributed directly to the incident, jurors found. Payne, 75, was a husband, father of seven, and community member. He was killed in 2021 when Officer Christopher Cabrera, traveling about 70 mph in a 35 mph zone without lights or sirens, struck Payne's vehicle, court records show. The jury concluded the officer's actions violated Payne's 14th Amendment right to life. Evidence presented during the trial showed the Houston Police Department routinely permitted officers to drive more than 20 mph over posted speed limits, even when not responding to emergencies, attorneys said. They argued this was a practice the city knew, or should have known, posed serious risks to the public. The jury agreed, finding the city acted with deliberate indifference by allowing this pattern to persist. Jurors awarded Payne's widow, Harriet, more than $7.3 million for pecuniary loss, loss of companionship, and past and future mental anguish. Charles Payne's seven children also received individual awards for emotional and familial losses, bringing the total recovery to $13 million. “The City of Houston respects the work of the trial court and jury," defense counsel Arturo Michel said in a statement. "It will closely examine the record to assess an appeal under Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal standards [that] typically have not allowed similar claims to succeed. The COH lawyers will also engage in discussions with the lawyers for the Payne family to explore any resolution.” A joint legal team—of McCathern PLLC partner Carl L. Evans Jr., along with the Law Office of Ben Crump and its co-director of litigation, Paul Grinke—represented the Payne family. McCathern attorneys Sarah E. Courtney and Asher K. Miller also supported the case. The attorneys argued that the city of Houston failed to implement and enforce basic safety standards regarding officer driving practices. They argued such policies, if followed, would have prevented the tragedy. "This verdict is not just about what happened to Charles Payne. It's about preventing it from ever happening again," Evans said in a statement. "The jury sent a clear message that no city is above accountability when its policies put the lives of the people it serves in danger. We are honored to stand with the Payne family, and grateful that the jury recognized the truth of what happened and the depth of this family's loss." National civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Grinke also released a statement to jurors. "We thank the jury for listening to the evidence and recognizing the truth of what happened to Charles Payne Sr. This verdict cannot erase the overwhelming pain of losing him, but it is an important measure of justice for his family," the attorneys said. "We are grateful for every prayer, every word of support, and every person who stood with this family throughout this long and difficult fight. We hope this decision helps strengthen policies to ensure that law enforcement operates their vehicles in ways that keep the communities they serve safe. We hope that no other family has to experience a tragedy like this."