Denver will pay $980,000 to settle a lawsuit filed on behalf of eight people who were seriously injured by police during the George Floyd protests in 2020 under several settlements approved Monday by the City Council.
The joint lawsuit, filed in 2021, was one of two filed on the same day. Both alleged that police officers used excessive force against the plaintiffs as they peacefully protested in the wake of the murder of Floyd by Minneapolis police.
“Each of the plaintiffs was injured in some way after being targeted, shot at, gassed and/or fired upon,” according to the complaint. The police officers’ “unconstitutional actions” and their “customs, policies, practices and lack of proper training” caused the injuries.
The plaintiffs’ payouts will range from $60,000 to $300,000 per person. The lawsuit was one of several filed against the city regarding the protests. So far, the settlements have amounted to roughly $12 million.
“I want to be clear to everyone watching that we are paying attention,” Councilwoman Shontel Lewis said during Monday’s meeting. The new set of settlements was later approved as part of a block vote.
The plaintiffs — all Coloradans — are Alexandra Barbour, Brianna Barber, Jessica Beverage, Robert Harr, Christopher Holland, Nalina Infante, Cody Schmitt and Alex Wolfson.
The largest payout went to Wolfson, who was riding his skateboard near the protests when police officers fired “a hard projectile” at him, hitting his eye, according to the complaint. His eye was badly damaged and required surgery. Wolfon still struggled to see clearly, according to the complaint.
Other plaintiffs said they were protesting peacefully when police officers used tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades on them even as some attempted to disperse.
Baumgartner Law and the Beem & Isley law firms filed the lawsuit.
Following the council’s approval, attorney Danielle Beem said the plaintiffs had succeeded in holding the city accountable.
She said the lawsuit’s outcome will “serve as a catalyst for both the City and the Denver Police Department to implement more effective policies and practices, ensuring that future peaceful protesters will not endure the pain and fear that so many experienced during the George Floyd protests.”
The other lawsuit filed the same day by the same firms included 42 others who were either arrested or subjected to tear gas and pepper spray. That case was settled earlier.
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