Albuquerque, N.M., paid $34 million in legal settlements past year
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --
... The city has been sued hundreds of times since the end of fiscal year 2016 to the tune of $34 million.
The deluge comes as the city officially closes out four major settlements:
The family of homeless camper James Boyd was paid a $5 million award after his shooting death (by police) in 2014.
Jacob Grant, a former undercover APD officer shot by his supervisor (during a raid), got $6.5 million.
The family of Christopher Torres, shot dead (by police) in 2012, was paid $6 million this year.
The city's largest single settlement in known history -- $8.5 million to the family of Ashley Browder. She was killed by (off duty) APD Sgt. Adam Casaus, (speeding through a red light, in his squad car, no lights, no siren) in a 2013 car crash.
But documents show well more than half of that $34 million comes in smaller bits and pieces, and they add up quickly.
A pregnant pedestrian settled for $180,000 after a collision with a city bus in a crosswalk. There's $100,000 settlement for unlawful arrest,
$40,000 to a bicyclist who crashed on a bike path
and even $25,000 for a guy who fell out of a police car during an arrest.
http://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/city-paying-tens-millions-dollars-legal-settlements/4678692/?cat=516