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Seattle Loses Police Misconduct Lawsuit Appeal

By David Packman

Jonah at The Stranger reports that a federal judge has denied the city of Seattle's appeal in the Bradford v. City of Seattle case which found in favor of Bradford who was wrongfully arrested and hit by an SPD officer in 2006.

A jury awarded the Boys and Girls Club volunteer $268,000 in the case and the city of Seattle appealed. Jonah estimates that now the city will have to pay about $553,000, which nearly doubles the original award, in order to cover additional attorney fees associated with the case and appeals process since the city is required to pay for a private law firm instead of using it's own lawyers to defend officers in misconduct cases by it's contract with the Seattle Police Officer's Guild.

It was previously estimated here, and later in the mainstream press, that the appeal would ultimately double the city's cost for the lawsuit when the city's private law firm announced it's intent to appeal.

This marks the sixth police misconduct related settlement or loss that the city has had to pay out in the last 12 months and several more federal civil rights lawsuits are reportedly in the works against the city and it's police department.

Full post as published by Injustice in Seattle on July 24, 2008 (boomark / email).