What did Joe Carollo do? Miami Commissioner ordered to pay $63 million in Ball & Chain restaurant lawsuit

A pair of businessmen in Miami, Florida, were awarded a substantial sum of $63.5 million by a federal jury on Thursday, June 1. The businessmen, William Fuller and Martin Pinilla, accused Miami City Commissioner Joe Carollo of abusing his authority to intimidate them after they showed support for Carollo's political opponent.

The jury in Fort Lauderdale federal court found Carollo civilly liable for violating Fuller and Pinilla's First Amendment rights and awarded Fuller $8.6 million in compensation and $25.7 million in punitive damages, while Pinilla received $7.3 million in compensation and $21.9 million in punitive damages.

In response to the verdict, Carollo's attorney, Benedict Kuehne, expressed disappointment and stated their intention to file an appeal. Although the city of Miami was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, it covered Carollo's legal expenses.

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Miami city commissioner's attorney claims his client was working in the best interest of his district

After a lengthy civil trial lasting nearly two months, city commissioner Joe Carollo has been ordered to pay millions in damages for violating the civil rights of the two business owners in Little Havana.

City Commissioner Joe Carollo was held civilly liable by the six-member jury in Fort Lauderdale federal court for violating the First Amendment rights of William Fuller and Martin Pinilla. The outcome of the trial was that Broward County ruled in favor of Fuller, owner of Ball & Chain, and his business partner, Pinilla.

Plaintiffs talking to the press (Image via Facebook)

Outside the Broward County courtroom, Fuller expressed his emotions, stating,

"It's about time the corruption was called out."

The attorneys representing Fuller and Pinilla argued that Carollo had infringed upon their freedom of speech by utilizing law enforcement and code enforcement agencies to harass them and harm their reputations due to their support for an alternative candidate during Carollo's city commission race in 2017.

However, in response to the verdict, Carollo's attorney, Benedict Kuehne, expressed disappointment and stated their intention to file an appeal. Although the city of Miami was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, it covered Carollo's legal expenses, nearly $2 million.

Carollo's attorney contended that the commissioner was not specifically targeting Fuller and Pinilla but was working in the best interest of his district. Carollo, 68, also previously served as a two-term mayor of Miami.

The lawsuit was filed in 2018 and accused Carollo of orchestrating targeted harassment against the business owners through municipal employees, driven by a personal vendetta.

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Are taxpayers liable to pay the amount?

Former Commissioner Ken Russell has expressed concern that Miami taxpayers may ultimately be responsible for paying the damages awarded against Carollo. Russell believes that if Carollo can garner the support of two other commissioners, the bill may be paid using taxpayer funds. Currently, Miami taxpayers are already burdened with Carollo's mounting legal fees, which amount to nearly $2 million.

It should be noted, however, that there is no guarantee that Carollo will ultimately be required to pay the full $63 million. His legal team is expected to appeal the verdict and the awarded damages, which could potentially lead to a reduction in the dollar amount or even the dismissal of the case altogether.

Russell believes taxpayers funds could be used to pay $63 million (Image via WPLG)

In light of these developments, Russell has called for Carollo to either resign from his position or be removed in accordance with the city's charter.