Teen prostitute abused by police gets US$1m payoff
Print Edition
THE city of Oakland, California, will pay a teenager nearly US$1 million to settle claims that city police officers sexually abused her while she worked as an underage prostitute — a deal that comes as she pursues similar cases against five other San Francisco Bay Area law enforcement agencies.
Saying she was relieved with the settlement announced on Wednesday, the woman said she appreciates the support she received from friends and family after coming forward.
“I thought I was alone,” said the woman, who is now 19.
The woman appeared nervous and gave short answers during a news conference on Wednesday in her lawyer’s Oakland office. She said she was “very satisfied” with the settlement.
Her mother is a dispatcher with the Oakland Police Department. Neither of her parents, who are divorced, attended the news conference.
The scandal emerged last summer when a federal judge overseeing the troubled Oakland Police Department said he wasn’t happy with the internal affairs investigation of an officer who committed suicide in 2015.
The teen said the officer was among those who abused her over a nearly three-year period. Most of the implicated officers worked in Oakland.
The Oakland City Council voted 7-1 to pay US$989,000 to settle the claims against the city. Councilwoman Desley Brooks voted against the payout, saying she should have got more money.
“Think about this young girl, who was victimized under the color of authority,” Brooks said. “There is something wrong with this.”
Mayor Libby Schaaf said: “It was in the best interest of the city to settle this matter quickly and fairly. We remain focused on rebuilding the public trust that was so damaged by this incident.”
Officials with the department didn’t respond to phone and e-mail inquiries.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
