#15 - $1.97 million
Cornejo, Administrator v. Gotwalt
Type of Case: Wrongful death
Court: Fairfax Circuit Court
Attorneys: Malik K. Cutlar and Jeffrey L. Rhodes, Arlington
Summary: Jack “Steven” Cornejo was shot and killed by Brandon Gotwalt outside an apartment complex after Gotwalt intervened in a verbal dispute between Cornejo and a female companion. Attorneys for Cornejo’s estate contended that Gotwalt got the upper hand in a fight and then shot Cornejo, who was unarmed, from behind at close range.
Gotwald contended that he shot Cornejo in self-defense while Cornejo was choking him, and Gotward was not prosecuted in the shooting, even though he left the scene and disposed of his bloody shirt and the casing from the fatal round before at first denying to police that he knew anything about the incident.
The Supreme Court of Virginia refused Gotwald’s petition for appeal last month.
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