The Iowa Attorney General's office is asking a Polk County district court judge to order a new trial in the wrongful termination lawsuit of Kirsten Anderson.
Anderson was awarded $2.2 million in damages by a jury, which the Attorney General's office says was excessive. They state that Anderson's attorney changed the amount requested in damage from $450,000 to $1.2 million dollars during closing arguments, then said the jury could "send a message" by awarding more money.
That, the AG's office says could have led the jury to operate only on emotion, since no factual evidence was laid before the jury to justify the higher amount. Further, the request for the new trial says by waiting until last to change their damage award request, it denied the defendants an ability to properly defend against it.
In their filing, the Attorney General's office asks that if the judge doesn't award a new trial that instead he lower the amount of damages awarded.
The motion was filed Wednesday. Anderson's attorney's haven't filed their response.