San Jose to pay $900,000 to settle officer-involved shooting

[Newsjock]

Source: San Jose Mercury News

The City Council has agreed to pay $900,000 to settle an excessive force lawsuit stemming from an officer-involved fatal shooting of a man police claimed pointed a handgun directly at them.

The City Council finalized the settlement this week.

But 47-year-old Valente Galindo's fingerprints and DNA were notably absent from the gun police police say he gripped. That, along with several other legal problems, prompted city lawyers to urge the council to approve the proposed payout to Galindo's three children.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_26554289/san-jose-pay-900-000-settle-officer-involved

[Lenomsky]

1. Sick ..

[Judi Lynn]

2. What a hideous shame. n/t

[7962]

3. Is it possible to sue an individual officer in these cases?

I think if an officer knows he may be sued for wrongdoing it may have an impact on his actions. Right now, its the city that bears the cost.

[melm00se]

5. the plaintiff

would have to get the officer's qualified immunity lifted. As I understand it, that is no easy feat.

[7962]

6. Figures. I think that would have a big impact on the attitudes of officers. nt

[sendero]

4. The citizens of San Jose..

... will pick up this tab. I'm sure the citizens of San Jose don't mind wasting a million dollars to protect a bad cop, all over the country they do it every day.