city pays out $130k settlement for this 2013 action by "admirable" cop

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://wwlp.com/2015/07/30/chicopee-announces-settlement-with-woman-in-police-brutality-case/

Chicopee will pay Maylene Maldonado of Holyoke $135,000 to settle her federal police brutality case. Chicopee’s mayor needs to get city council approval to transfer the amount from the city’s stabilization fund. That action would result in her lawsuit being dismissed.

Mayor Richard Kos said in a news release, “an important factor in settling now is the number of the defendants and the cost for legal representation to the City as this matter continues. It was determined to be in the City’s best interest to resolve this claim at this time.”

The lawsuit named the city and eight former and current police officer as defendants. Mayor Kos in the news release stated, the city has taken proactive actions, including updating and increasing video cameras in the booking desk area and elevator used to transport prisoners.
-----

Thomas Charette, the acting chief at the time of the 2013 incident, defended Major's actions as appropriate because Maldonado was high on PCP and allegedly spat blood during her arrest.

'Sergeant Major made several attempts to speak softly and calmly with Ms. Maldonado in order to calm her and complete the booking process,' Charette said, according to WHDH.

'However, she was either unwilling or unable to understand simple instructions and kept insisting that Sergeant Major repeat himself.'

An internal police review determined he had 'acted admirably', Mlive reported, and a clerk-magistrate's hearing agreed.

A district court judge reviewed the recording and he was charged with assault and battery in November 2013.




Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3003049/Officer-grabs-screaming-woman-neck-forcing-ground-startling-police-station-footage.html#ixzz3hhaZDho1
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook