Fairfax Officers Cleared In Lawsuit

Three Fairfax County police officers did not violate a planning commissioner's civil rights or harm him after a loud confrontation in the Sully district police station two years ago in which the commissioner said he was assaulted, a federal jury in Alexandria ruled yesterday.

The jury deliberated for about three hours before ruling against Ronald W. Koch, 62, on all counts, which included allegations of assault, battery, false arrest, defamation, unnecessary use of force and conspiracy.

Koch has been the Sully District planning commissioner for 22 years and a highly-praised community leader and volunteer. He was acting as a private process server when he walked into the Sully police station July 27, 2005, to serve a subpoena.