50-bullet police case settled for US$7m
Source: Agencies |
July 29, 2010, Thursday
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THE city of New York has agreed to pay more than US$7 million to settle a civil lawsuit stemming from the fatal 50-bullet police shooting of an unarmed man on his wedding day.
The settlement filed in Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday pays US$3.25 million to the estate of Sean Bell, who was killed in 2006 outside a strip club in Queens while leaving his bachelor party.
As part of the settlement, the city agreed to pay US$3 million to Joseph Guzman and US$900,000 to Trent Benefield, both wounded in the shooting that killed their friend.
The lawsuit had accused the city of wrongful death, negligence, assault and civil rights violations.
"We hope that all parties can find some measure of closure by this settlement," the city's attorney, Michael A. Cardozo, said in a statement.
An attorney for the plaintiffs, Scott Rynecki, said the settlement was hard-fought over two days and that the plaintiffs felt it was the best outcome possible.
"I think it was all about closure at this point," Rynecki said.
Three police officers were acquitted of manslaughter and other charges in 2008. Federal authorities in February declined to bring civil rights charges against them.
The officers remain on modified duty and are facing departmental charges that could result in their dismissal.
The settlement follows other multimillion-dollar payouts in high-profile civil lawsuits involving the police department.
In June, the city agreed to pay a record for a civil rights lawsuit when it agreed to settle for US$9.9 million with Barry Gibbs, an innocent man who spent 19 years in jail after being framed by a police detective.
In 2001, the city and police agreed to pay US$8.7 million to Abner Louima, who was beaten and sodomized with a broomstick in a police precinct by officers. After legal fees, Louima was left with about US$5.8 million.
The settlement filed in Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday pays US$3.25 million to the estate of Sean Bell, who was killed in 2006 outside a strip club in Queens while leaving his bachelor party.
As part of the settlement, the city agreed to pay US$3 million to Joseph Guzman and US$900,000 to Trent Benefield, both wounded in the shooting that killed their friend.
The lawsuit had accused the city of wrongful death, negligence, assault and civil rights violations.
"We hope that all parties can find some measure of closure by this settlement," the city's attorney, Michael A. Cardozo, said in a statement.
An attorney for the plaintiffs, Scott Rynecki, said the settlement was hard-fought over two days and that the plaintiffs felt it was the best outcome possible.
"I think it was all about closure at this point," Rynecki said.
Three police officers were acquitted of manslaughter and other charges in 2008. Federal authorities in February declined to bring civil rights charges against them.
The officers remain on modified duty and are facing departmental charges that could result in their dismissal.
The settlement follows other multimillion-dollar payouts in high-profile civil lawsuits involving the police department.
In June, the city agreed to pay a record for a civil rights lawsuit when it agreed to settle for US$9.9 million with Barry Gibbs, an innocent man who spent 19 years in jail after being framed by a police detective.
In 2001, the city and police agreed to pay US$8.7 million to Abner Louima, who was beaten and sodomized with a broomstick in a police precinct by officers. After legal fees, Louima was left with about US$5.8 million.
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