CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : Jury Awards $25,000 to Injured Mugger

A “good Samaritan” taxi driver who captured a fleeing mugger by pinning him against a wall with his cab has been ordered to pay $25,000 for breaking the crook’s leg. A San Francisco Superior Court jury decided that cabbie Charles Hollom, 51, used excessive force when he pinned Ocie McClure to a wall. The jury awarded McClure $24,595. According to police reports, Hollom, who had driven a cab for 25 years, saw McClure robbing a Japanese tourist in May, 1989, and gave chase. McClure, now serving a 10-year prison term, asked for $32,000 for his injuries, plus an additional sum for pain and suffering. His leg was broken in two places and required three operations. McClure’s attorney said he doubted that his client would see the money because it would be used to reimburse the city for his medical treatment. Hollom said he wants to appeal the jury’s decision.