Serial Serial Season 3
At the end of Serial Season 3 Episode 3, we’re left with a bit of a cliffhanger. Sarah Koenig follows the case of Erimius Spencer (spelled wrongly by some listeners as Aramis), who was unjustly beaten by police officers while in his own building, knocking on a friend’s door to borrow a cigarette. The episode ended on a cliffhanger that was not resolved in Season 3 Episode 4, as many listeners had expected. Read on to find out what happened to Spencer, but know that this will contain spoilers for Episode 3 of Serial.
In court, police officers tried to justify beating Spencer by saying that they found a small amount of marijuana on him and he had resisted arrest. At the very end of the episode, Spencer’s lawyer called Koenig with good news for his client’s case. Police officer Michael Amiott was in a viral video that showed him beating a black motorist. The viral nature of this video would help Spencer’s case against Amiott and the other off-duty officer, Shane Rivera.
But what happened? Koenig ended the episode in a way that made it sound like she would continue in Episode 4, but Episode 4 was about a completely different case.
Spencer did end up getting justice in civil court. The News-Herald reported in late September that Erimius Spencer received $40,000 as part of a settlement with the city of Euclid and the two police officers who were moonlighting as apartment security. They admitted no liability and made the payment to “terminate further controversy.” The case was dismissed with prejudice once the settlement was reached.
The first three criminal charges against Spencer were dropped in September 2017, and Spencer paid a fine on the drug charge.
After a video that showed Amiott punching Richard Hubbard III, an unarmed motorist, during a traffic stop, Amiott was fired. Hubbard’s lawsuit against Euclid, Amiott, and two other police officers is seeking $3.8 million in compensatory damages.