ST. LOUIS • Two deputies on Friday won a lawsuit against St. Louis Sheriff James Murphy that claimed a racially hostile work environment but said afterward the sheriff still doesn't understand the systematic problems that led them to sue.

A jury awarded William "Patrick" Hill and Jacques Hughes a combined $850,000 in actual and punitive damages, deciding Murphy was liable for a weak response when a supervisor in his department hung a noose in the courthouse in 2006.

To award damages, the jury had to decide whether Murphy was liable because his conduct was either evil in motive or recklessly indifferent.

Hill and Hughes are African-American; Murphy is white.

Hill, who still works for the department, said it bothered him that Murphy never apologized for the incident, instead saying he was sorry the two were offended.

"I don't think he gets it," Hill said after the trial ended. "And whether we'll see the changes we're promised, we'll wait and see. ... I would like to see wholesale changes because that's as far as it goes."

Murphy declined to comment after the trial, referring questions to his attorney, Michael Hughes.