Stearns County Jury Rules for Police Chief Candidate Who Lost Job Offer

COLD SPRING (AP) - A jury in Stearns County has ruled in favor of a police chief candidate who sued after the job was awarded to someone else.

A verdict delivered late Wednesday still has to be approved by a judge. The jury awarded Eric Johnson nearly $77,000. Jurors sided with Johnson who said he was promised the chief's job in Cold Spring and subsequently quit his job as Minneota police chief.

Judge John Scherer earlier dismissed three of the five claims filed by Johnson and ruled for Cold Spring on a fourth claim in which Johnson accused the city of breaching a contract.

Johnson testified during the trial that he and the city administrator negotiated a contract before questions arose about some of his certifications that had lapsed.