LA City Council Approves Record $13 Million Payout for May Day Police Brutality
By Evan Mix
Published on February 05, 2009
On May 1, 2007, a large pro-immigration rally in Los Angeles' MacArthur Park was dispersed by police using batons, rubber bullets, and beanbag rounds. Today, the Los Angeles City Council approved a payout of $12.85 million to settle nine civil rights lawsuits with almost 300 plaintiffs that were filed in connection with the event.
The payout is one of the largest ever for police misconduct and the largest ever in connection with a public demonstration.
The violence started when a small group of protesters began throwing rocks at police officers. The officers responded with force, and 42 people were injured as the crowd of about 5,000 was dispersed. Nine of those injured were journalists covering the event.
In the wake of the beatings, a departmental investigation blamed poor planning, insufficient training, and a command structure breakdown for the injuries. Four officers were fired and 11 more were disciplined by the Los Angeles Police Department.
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund sponsored the litigation. John Trasvina, MALDEF's president and general counsel, hailed the settlement as the close to "a brutal chapter in LAPD's history." The organization has pledged to work together with city officials and civil rights organizations to restore confidence in the LAPD.
Another 19 cases are pending in connection to the protest, but city officials claim that this settlement represents the bulk of the Los Angeles' financial liability.
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