Jury returns $58.5 million verdict for man falsely accused of child sexual abuse

A federal court jury in Detroit has returned a nearly $58.5 million verdict against a Michigan State Police lieutenant and former assistant attorney general for their roles in a case in which a former Detroit police officer was falsely accused of sexually assaulting a child.

Sean MacMaster sued David Busacca of the MSP and Brian Kolodziej, a former prosecutor, in 2021 after Attorney General Dana Nessel dropped charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct against MacMaster and another man.

Nessel took that action at around the time Kolodziej resigned from her office after evidence emerged that he was involved in an inappropriate, intimate relationship with the victim in a rape case he was prosecuting.

The suit alleged that Busacca and Kolodziej conspired with MacMaster's ex-wife to bring the sexual assault allegations as part of a custody battle. It alleged they concealed exculpatory evidence in the case and that Busacca altered a police report to conceal Kolodziej's involvement in the case.

The jury on Tuesday, Aug. 12 awarded more than $33 million in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages of $10 million against Busacca and $15 million against Kolodziej.