Woman impregnated by doctor's own sperm awarded $5.25 million by jury in Vermont

A federal court jury in Vermont on Wednesday awarded a Florida woman $5.25 million from a doctor who used his own sperm to impregnate her during an artificial insemination procedure in 1977.

The federal court jury in Burlington began deliberating on Tuesday and returned the verdict on Wednesday.

The verdict form filed in federal court in Burlington said the jury awarded plaintiff Cheryl Rousseau $250,000 in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages from Dr. John Coates III.