UPDATE: A shocking legal twist has emerged as an Illinois appellate court has upheld a $2.8 million judgment against the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) for Sandra Kolalou, a woman recently convicted of murder. The ruling, confirmed just last week, comes despite Kolalou’s conviction for the brutal killing of her landlord, Frances Walker, in a separate case.
The First District Appellate Court decisively rejected the CTA’s appeal to overturn the jury’s verdict, asserting that evidence relating to Kolalou’s criminal activities was rightly excluded from the civil trial. The court found that the CTA did not provide sufficient legal grounds for a new trial or a reduction in the awarded damages.
In March 2018, Kolalou was struck by a CTA bus while crossing a street, leading her to sue the transit authority and its driver for chronic injuries sustained in the incident. The CTA admitted negligence, leaving only the amount of damages to be determined by jurors. Kolalou’s civil proceedings unfolded concurrently with her facing serious criminal charges in Cook County.
In a chilling turn of events, Kolalou was convicted in April 2024 for the first-degree murder of 69-year-old Frances Walker, whose dismembered remains were found in a kitchen freezer in their shared home in the Arcadia Terrace neighborhood. Prosecutors revealed that Walker was killed merely two days after serving Kolalou with an eviction notice.
Attempts to reach Walker’s family for comment on the appellate court’s ruling were unsuccessful. Kolalou is currently serving a sentence of 58 years in prison, ensuring she will remain incarcerated until at least 2076.
In a highly unusual move during the civil trial, the judge barred any mention of Kolalou’s criminal case or her incarceration, allowing her to testify via video from jail while dressed in civilian clothing. This decision was made to prevent potential bias against her claims for damages. The CTA argued that the jury should have been made aware of her criminal status, as it directly impacted her claims for future damages; however, the appellate court disagreed.
The initial jury awarded Kolalou approximately $3 million in 2023, but a judge later ordered a retrial after ruling that she had violated discovery rules by not disclosing her social media accounts. The CTA’s legal team contended that her social media activities contradicted her claims of injury, as they showed her engaging in activities inconsistent with her purported chronic pain. Kolalou defended her posts by stating she only shared positive experiences and did not document days when she was suffering.
The appellate court’s decision emphasized that the exclusion of Kolalou’s unrelated criminal case from the civil trial was appropriate, as it could have unfairly biased the jury. The court notably stated, “Our decision should not be read as an endorsement of White’s conduct. Nothing in the opinion excuses or minimizes the nature of White’s actions.”
As this case continues to unfold, the implications for both Kolalou and the CTA remain significant. The legal landscape surrounding this case raises critical questions about liability, the intersection of civil and criminal proceedings, and the weight of a defendant’s actions on their claims for damages.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story as the legal ramifications unfold.
