Cariol Horne has become an advocate of police reform since her termination from the Buffalo Police Department.
Credit Nick Lippa / WBFO News
State Supreme Court Judge Dennis Ward issued a decision that overturned a previous court ruling that upheld her firing almost 13 years ago.
Horne had been dismissed after a November 2006 incident in which she has maintained she tried to stop fellow officer Greg Kwiatkowski from choking a man during an arrest. The two officers started fighting and an internal investigation cleared Kwiatkowski.
In 2008, an arbitrator found Horne guilty on 11 of 13 internal charges. She was fired, a year shy of the 20 years of service needed for a full police pension.