A federal jury awarded $500,000 to Erin Smith, the widow of Metropolitan Police Officer Jeffrey Smith, after determining that 69-year-old chiropractor David Walls-Kaufman was responsible for assaulting Smith during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The jury assigned a total of $440,000 in damages—$380,000 in punitive damages and $60,000 in compensatory damages to Erin Smith for the assault on her husband, with an additional $60,000 awarded to Smith's estate for his pain and suffering. The verdict comes after a civil trial in which the jury found Walls-Kaufman liable for his actions captured on the officer's body camera.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes dismissed Erin Smith's wrongful-death claim against Walls-Kaufman before the jury's deliberation, stating that no reasonable juror could find that Walls-Kaufman’s actions had caused a traumatic brain injury that led to Smith's suicide. Walls-Kaufman, who resides close to the Capitol, denied ever assaulting Officer Smith, insisting that any injuries sustained by Smith occurred later in the day when another rioter allegedly struck him with a pole.

On Friday, after hearing evidence and testimonies, the jury sided with Erin Smith, attributing culpability to Walls-Kaufman for the assault. The encounter between Smith and Walls-Kaufman was documented on the body camera footage worn by the officer. Following the jury's verdict, Erin Smith's attorney, David P. Weber, expressed gratitude for the measure of justice achieved through the court's decision.

In contrast, Walls-Kaufman characterized the jury's decision as "absurd," maintaining his position that he did not strike Officer Smith intentionally, and expressed being “stunned” by the outcome. Following jury deliberations, Judge Reyes urged both parties to seek a potential settlement to avoid the costs and lengthiness of an appeal, emphasizing the importance of moving forward with their lives.

During the trial, Walls-Kaufman's lawyer, Hughie Hunt, described the jury's financial award as "shocking," arguing that the incident was a brief altercation lasting only three seconds. However, Judge Reyes responded by highlighting that even brief moments can have substantial consequences. Officer Jeffrey Smith's tragic suicide, which occurred just nine days after the Capitol riot, marked a devastating conclusion to his struggle following the traumatic events of that day.

Jeffrey Smith was on his way to work for the first time post-riot when he took his own life with his service weapon. His family insisted he had no previous mental health issues prior to January 6. Erin Smith argued that Walls-Kaufman's actions caused her husband severe psychological and physical trauma, culminating in his suicide. Furthermore, the police department had assessed Jeffrey Smith and deemed him fit for duty prior to his death. In 2022, the District of Columbia Police and Firefighters' Retirement and Relief Board ruled that Smith had sustained an on-the-job injury, which they determined directly led to his death.

David Walls-Kaufman had previously faced a 60-day prison sentence after pleading guilty to a Capitol riot-related misdemeanor in January 2023, a sentence he was later pardoned from on his first day back in the White House by President Donald Trump, who acted swiftly to pardon several individuals charged in connection with the Capitol riot.

The events of January 6 left many officers injured, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died the day after the riots, with a subsequent medical examination revealing he died of natural causes. Another officer, Howard Liebengood, who had responded to the riot, also died by suicide following the attack. Erin Smith's struggle to honor her husband continues as she has applied to have his name included as a line-of-duty death in the National Law Enforcement Memorial, hoping for a forthcoming decision on the matter.