A US federal jury on Monday issued an order against a man who scuffled with an officer during the January 6 US Capitol attack to pay $500,000 to the widow and estate of the police officer who killed himself nine days after he helped defend the US Capitol from a mob of rioters.

Officer Jefferey Smith died by suicide after being assaulted during the January 6 attack. Due to his widow’s efforts, the renewed version of the Public Safety Officer Support Act was passed in 2022. The new version of the act enabled families of officers who died by suicide to be eligible for federal benefits as long as the death is found to be linked to their official duties and exposure to a traumatic event.

Officer Smith’s widow brought a wrongful death lawsuit against David Walls-Kaufman and another defendant whose claims were suspended. Walls-Kaufman was found liable for Officer Smith’s death based on a concussion that Officer Smith received after allegedly being hit in the head with his police baton by Walls-Kaufman.

Walls-Kaufman was sentenced to 60 days in prison in January for misdemeanors related to the January 6 riot; however, during Trump’s first day back in office, he pardoned multiple individuals connected to the attack.

After the jury left, the judge encouraged the parties to reach a settlement agreement so that they could both move forward. The jury ordered Walls-Kaufman to pay $380,000 in punitive damages and $60,000 in compensatory damages to Officer Smith’s widow. Officer Sith’s estate was also awarded $60,000 to compensate for pain and suffering.