Making History in Kansas: $8.3M Civil Rights Verdict Secures Justice for Cedric Lofton

By Brian Eldridge, Founding Partner | February 4, 2026

WICHITA, KANSAS (February 5, 2026) – In a historic federal civil rights verdict, a Kansas jury awarded $8.3 million to the estate of 17-year-old Cedric “CJ” Lofton, who died while in the custody of Sedgwick County Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center in 2021 after he was held in prone restraint for nearly 40 minutes. Believed to be the largest federal civil rights verdict ever in the state’s history, the jury found five juvenile corrections officers liable for violating CJ’s constitutional rights and causing CJ’s death. The trial was presided over by United States District Court Judge Eric F. Melgren. The Lofton Estate was represented by Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge, Action Injury Law Group, and Embry Law.

The jury found that four out of five defendant officers involved in the prone restraint committed unconstitutional excessive force against CJ. All five officers were found to have violated the constitutional duty to intervene. The jury, who was comprised of seven women and one man, deliberated for almost 14 hours before rendering their verdict. Damages in the amount of $2 Million were awarded for pain and suffering CJ endured before his death, $5 Million for CJ’s lost opportunity to enjoy life, and $1.3 Million for future wage loss.

“This historic outcome is a testament to Marquan’s commitment to honor the life and legacy of his brother CJ and the relentless work of our trial team led by Brian Eldridge, John Marrese, Ben Stelter-Embry and Morgan Forbes. The video evidence of this tragic case is overwhelming, and we are grateful for the jury’s service and their thoughtful consideration in CJ’s case,” said Andrew M. Stroth, civil rights attorney and Managing Director.

“The jury’s verdict was particularly meaningful in that all five defendant officers were found liable for unconstitutional misconduct. The prosecutor in Sedgwick County had earlier declined to pursue charges against these officers, which was extremely disappointing to CJ’s family. Although nothing will make up for this tragic loss, we are thankful that we were able to get some measure of justice and accountability. The jury’s finding that all five defendant officers were liable for failing to intervene is particularly impactful. Too often we see officers turn a blind eye towards other officer misconduct, often in the context of excessive force. This verdict reinforces the constitutional duty that when officers have the opportunity to prevent a constitutional wrong, they must intervene and stop it,” saidJohn Marrese of Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge.

“An in-custody prone restraint death should never happen again in our country. The science and medicine clearly establishes that holding someone in prone restraint, particularly with weight applied to their body, for any prolonged period of time, can and does cause cardiac arrest and sudden death. Law enforcement agencies, corrections departments, and the juvenile justice systems across the country should take notice of this verdict and ensure that all officers are trained that prone restraint is deadly and should not be used as anything other than a brief, temporary position to handcuff someone and then get them into a position where they can breathe,” said Brian Eldridge of Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge.

“I love my brother and when you see me, you see him. I think about CJ every day and want to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else,” Marquan Teetz.

We are proud to have secured justice for the Lofton family in Kansas. We are committed to advancing social justice nationwide, holding those responsible accountable, and protecting the vulnerable through meaningful civil rights advocacy.

Watch more on CJ’s story, reported by Brady Bauman: https://www.kwch.com/video/2026/02/05/cedric-lofton-verdict/