Thursday, January 16, 2014

NYC Agrees to $18 Million Settlement

New York, NY - New York City has agreed to pay $18 million to settle claims from over 1,800 arrests made "en masse" during the 2004 Republican National Convention.

Speakers at a press conference said the settlement gave teeth to their claim that the police had no right to arrest people without individualized probable cause.

Christopher Dunn, associate legal director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said the arrest of some 1,800 protestors, bystanders, legal observers and journalists was "one of the darkest moments in New York City protest history." 

Celeste Koeleveld, executive assistant corporation NYC's counsel for public safety, said 
"It was vitally important to defend the city in this litigation, and we are proud of the major victories we achieved." 
Under the $18 million settlement, which is pending approval by Southern District Judge Richard Sullivan , each plaintiff will receive about $6,400, according to the city law department. Plaintiffs lawyers' fees will comprise $7.6 million of the total settlement.
The city had paid outside law firms more than $16 million to vigorously defend the 430 lawsuits against it. The settlement will extinguish the claims of more than 1,600 plaintiffs who were arrested during the related demonstrations, the Law Department said in a release.
Submitted by: Anthony LoBiondo, Esq.
www.LoBiondoLaw.com
Anthony@LoBiondoLaw.com
(845) 569-7600

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