Settlements

In February 2019, officers found Wells naked in the street. Officers tased and apprehended Wells, and he later died. His family sued the Police Department for wrongful death and excessive force.

On October 4, 2021, Craig called 911 for help, stating his wife was threatening him with a knife. When officers entered the home, Craig’s son told them that his mother had the knife. Although Officer Alberto Covarrubias and his partner had allegedly been informed at least four times that Craig was the victim of domestic violence, Covarrubias shot Craig twice and did not attempt to subdue the wife.

In November 2023, a judge approved a $5 million settlement against Funderburg and the City of Detroit, paid to Woodards’ daughter, Melissa Connelly. Prior to the incident, Funderburg had a poor driving record: she had lost her license twice and also hit someone else when she ran a red light. 

The officers, represented by Lawyers for Civil Rights and WilmerHale, alleged that the test was unreliable and disproportionately impacted Black individuals due to their hair texture and grooming products, which can cause false positives. The lawsuit, filed nearly two decades before the settlement, challenged the City’s continued use of the test even after being informed of a less-discriminatory alternative. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit twice ruled in favor of the officers on key issues, leading to a six-day trial before a District Court judge and eventual mediation. The settlement marked the end of what lawyers called “a long, ugly chapter in Boston’s history.”

As Maier waited at a red light near Fayette and Caroline streets, a bullet fired by police entered her car’s windshield. Shrapnel, glass, and other debris struck Maier. Police had been pursuing Tyrone Banks, a man suspected of a prior attack on officers, when they fired dozens of shots at his vehicle and ultimately killed him. Maier suffered injuries to her neck, chest, and hand, including shattered nerves in her index finger. In 2022, she filed a gross negligence lawsuit against Sgt. Paul Sinchak and twelve other officers. Citing the risks of ongoing litigation, City officials recommended the settlement.

In 2019, Stapleton allegedly tackled Morrow to the ground without warning and arrested her during an incident related to her nephew. In return, Morrow filed a federal lawsuit against the officers involved. As part of the settlement, Morrow agreed to not make “disparaging or degrading remarks” about the City or Stapleton to the media or on the internet.

Police arrested Durand-McDonnell in July 2022 on a disorderly conduct charge amid protests over Leo’s role in efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade. The Hancock County district attorney later dismissed the charge, citing the need for caution when political speech is involved. Durand-McDonnell subsequently filed a federal lawsuit against Officer Kevin Edgecomb and Officer Nathan Formby, alleging false arrest and violation of his free speech rights. Details of the settlement were not publicly available as of early November 2023.

First, Michael McCormack filed suit against the Denver Police following an injury during an arrest in 2018. McCormack and his girlfriend were biking and decided to explore an area near where a homeless camp had been. Police said they were trespassing and told them to “relax” before Officer Vincent Talty wrenched and twisted McCormack’s arm, breaking his right wrist and tearing a ligament. Second, Darkina Taylor sued the Denver Police after Officer Jeffrey Teti allegedly drove a Police Department SUV in the wrong lane of traffic and hit her car as she attempted to swerve out of the way in 2022. 

In 2019, Officer Jamie Taft was texting and driving when she struck Eric Szakmary as he was crossing the street. Szakmary suffered serious injuries, including fractures to his vertebrae, and required several surgeries. Of the $557,000 total settlement, $387,000 was meant to settle Szakmary’s negligence claims, while the rest went to his wife, Kimberly, for her loss of companionship and household services from her husband related to his injuries.

According to attorneys for the family, officers handcuffed Dorado and left him face-down on the concrete for more than fifteen minutes as they applied pressure to his back. The Fulton County medical examiner ruled Dorado’s death a homicide, caused by prone restraint cardiac arrest, and also noted the presence of methamphetamine in his system. Although no lawsuit was formally filed, the City agreed to the settlement after receiving a legal notice from the family’s attorneys of their intent to sue. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation completed a review of the incident and submitted its findings to the Fulton County district attorney, while an internal Atlanta Police Department investigation remained ongoing as of October 2023. Three officers were placed on administrative duty pending the outcomes of the investigations.

The City agreed to pay $287,500 each to Lee Dotson and Charles Kuniken, both bystanders who were wrongfully arrested during separate incidents in 2019. Newberg arrested Dotson after falsely claiming that Dotson was interfering with another arrest. However, body camera footage contradicted Newberg’s account and showed Dotson calmly leaving the scene before Newberg pursued and grabbed him. This incident prompted a broader investigation into Newberg’s pattern of misconduct. Also in 2019, Kuniken asked officers whether a man they were arresting needed medical attention, which led Newberg to order his arrest. Newberg, who was initially indicted on thirty-two counts including assault and false imprisonment, resigned after pleading guilty to a lesser charge.

In November 2019, Officer James Armstrong pursued a bank robbery suspect into a Chicago music school where Wilder was interning. Armstrong fired an AR-15 rifle and struck Wilder in the arm and abdomen. Wilder, who underwent eighteen surgeries and years of physical therapy, may never regain full use of his injured arm. Wilder’s lawsuit alleged that Armstrong acted recklessly. The City did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement, and Armstrong remained employed as of October 2023. Wilder, who continued to pursue a music career despite his injuries, expressed hope for broader police training reforms to prevent similar tragedies. In addition to the City’s settlement, Wilder also secured a $20 million settlement with one of the robbery suspects, though collection is unlikely.

During a 2020 protest following the murder of George Floyd, Denver Police Officer Adam Bolton fired a “kinetic impact projectile” at Strong and hit him. As a result, Strong lost his eye. The settlement raised Denver’s total payouts from lawsuits related to police to nearly $10 million in 2023.

The state attorney general began investigating Windsor after two police officers pepper-sprayed Caron Nazario, an Army lieutenant who is Black and Latino, during a traffic stop in December 2020. Nazario was awarded $3,685 in his own case.

Hood and Washington sued the City in 2016, alleging that Chicago Police detectives fabricated evidence and coerced testimony. Under the settlement, Hood, who spent twenty-two years in prison, received $17.5 million, while Washington, who served twelve years, received $7.5 million. The City’s insurance covered $5 million of the settlement amount. The large settlement came amid ongoing tensions about the financial and social costs of police-related lawsuits in Chicago, where the City approved $220 million in police settlements between January 2021 and September 2023. Mayor Brandon Johnson acknowledged the cost but emphasized the importance of constitutional policing and correcting past injustices.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in 2021, alleged that Detroit Police officers made Islamophobic comments caught on body camera, including claims that “Muslims lie a lot” and “Muslim men are pedophiles,” before falsely arresting the men with what appeared to be no probable cause. The men, who had called 911 for help with a woman having a mental health crisis, were detained for three days before prosecutors declined to file charges. In a statement announcing the settlement, which included monetary compensation, CAIR-MI leaders said they hoped Detroit Police would implement proper training to prevent future incidents of biased policing and emphasized that no one seeking emergency assistance should fear being profiled based on their faith.

Soon after Whitney reported the ritual to Police Department leadership, the mayor, and the city manager in 2019, he was placed on administrative leave and later fired for allegedly deleting data from his phone. Whitney filed a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit asserting he was punished for exposing misconduct. His lead attorney, Jayme Walker, praised Whitney for crossing the “thin blue line” to demand accountability. Whitney expressed hope that the settlement would encourage the City to begin repairing the damage caused by the badge bending scandal.

In April 2019, Officer Jeremy Walleman arrested Logan Davis, then eighteen years old, for loitering outside a closed business even though Davis was waiting for his father to pick him up from his job. As of 2023, Walleman was still working for the Police Department.

Police opened fire after a verbal altercation between teens escalated into a gunfight. Police gunfire inadvertently struck Bility and injured three others, including her twelve-year-old sister. Officers Brian Devaney, Sean Dolan, and Devon Smith were fired and later sentenced to probation, pleading guilty to reckless endangerment. As part of the settlement, Sharon Hill agreed to implement enhanced officer training, particularly concerning the use of deadly force. The Bility family, who established the Fanta Bility Foundation to honor her legacy and advocate for police reform, emphasized that no settlement could erase the tragedy but expressed hope for healing and change.

The lawsuit, filed in 2020, accused Crestwood officials, including then-Mayor Lou Presta and Police Chief David Weigand, of targeting officers who supported unionization. The Illinois Labor Relations Board certified the Illinois Council of Police as the bargaining representative for part-time officers in 2019, but the officers who filed the suit claimed they faced swift retaliation. Crestwood did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement, which was approved by the Village Board on September 7, 2023, and finalized with a dismissal by U.S. District Court Judge Mary Rowland.

The lawsuit contended that the Denver Police Department violated the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

In 2019, Riccio was walking along the shoulder of Interstate 95 after a car accident when he encountered Officer Tyler Schulz. Riccio asked Schulz for help, but Schulz instead ordered him to get on the ground. When Riccio turned and began to walk away, Schulz commanded his canine to attack Riccio, resulting in injuries to Riccio’s left leg. Schulz had been sued in the past for similar conduct, and he left the Old Saybrook Police Department in 2022 for allegations of misconduct unrelated to those two lawsuits.

With certain exceptions, each person arrested or subjected to force by New York City Police Department officers during those protests would be eligible to receive $9,950 in compensation.

The researchers noted that the negative impact on police-community relationships and trust of the police is “incalculable.” As of July 2023, dozens more lawsuits involving the Austin Police Department were still in progress, including lawsuits from people injured by police during the 2020 racial justice protests.

The lawsuit was brought by LatinoJustice PRLDEF on behalf of twenty-one Latinx residents of Suffolk County, with Milbank LLP as pro bono counsel. Under the settlement, the SCPD agreed to establish precinct-level advisory boards, train all officers to combat implicit bias, improve and publicize traffic stop data, and implement other reforms, all within three years. The department also agreed to enhance Spanish-language accessibility and investigate all SCPD job applicants for ties to white supremacist organizations.