In a decision that has sparked considerable discussion on the separation of civil and criminal justice, the Illinois 1st District Appellate Court has upheld a civil judgment of $2.8 million against the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) in favor of Sandra Kolalou, despite her subsequent conviction for murder. The ruling, which emerged from a tragic incident in March 2018 when Kolalou, also known as Sandra White, was struck by a CTA bus in Chicago, highlights the complexities of the legal system when civil liability intersects with unrelated criminal behavior.
Kolalou filed a lawsuit against the CTA and the bus driver, alleging she suffered long-term orthopedic and neurological damage, including persistent back and leg pain. The CTA and the bus operator admitted negligence, and in 2023, a jury initially awarded approximately $3 million to Kolalou. However, a retrial was ordered due to undisclosed social media activity that contradicted her claims of chronic pain. A subsequent jury then awarded her $2.8 million, which included $400,000 for future medical costs and $500,000 for the loss of a normal life.
During the civil trial, Kolalou was facing separate criminal charges for the October 2022 murder of her 69-year-old landlord, Frances Walker, whom she killed following an eviction notice. Kolalou was later sentenced to 58 years in prison for first-degree murder among other charges. Despite her incarceration, the appellate court emphasized that her criminal case should not influence the civil judgment for an incident that occurred years prior.
The CTA's appeal, which suggested that the civil case should have been delayed until the murder trial's conclusion and that jurors should have been informed of Kolalou's potential prison term, was rejected. The appellate court maintained that unrelated criminal matters are typically inadmissible in civil litigation due to their prejudicial effect.
Legal analysts have noted that the ruling reinforces the principle that civil liability is independent of unrelated criminal actions. While critics have raised ethical concerns over awarding large settlements to individuals convicted of violent crimes, the legal precedent remains clear: victims of accidents are to be compensated for their injuries, separate from any subsequent legal issues.
The court's decision does not endorse Kolalou's later crimes but rather upholds the fundamental tenets of civil proceedings, which center on compensating for verified injuries. Despite her conviction and prison sentence, the CTA is held liable for the injuries caused by the 2018 bus accident. Observers have pointed out that the appellate decision highlights a critical aspect of civil justice: victims can obtain restitution for harm suffered, even when their later actions may be morally complex or shocking.
