Post by WaTcHeR on Apr 5, 2006 12:00:25 GMT -5
04/05/2006 - OAKLAND, Calif. - A man who was paralyzed when he flipped over a fence after fleeing from police will receive $1.5 million from the city of Oakland to settle an excessive force lawsuit.
The City Council voted Tuesday to settle the case with Randy Murphy without admitting wrongdoing.
Murphy, a paraplegic, admitted to running from police when officers approached him on a West Oakland street corner Oct. 23, 2003.
Officers Matt McGiffert and Brett Estrada believed Murphy was on parole or probation and saw him swallow what looked like cocaine, said Chief Assistant City Attorney Barbara J. Parker.
But Murphy said an officer struggled with him as he tried to escape over a fence and caused him to hit his head on the ground. He injured his spine and will need professional care for the rest of his life.
The city argued the officers were nowhere near Murphy when he fell. No cocaine was found.
Murphy sued the city and the officers in 2004 in federal court in San Francisco. A mistrial was declared for McGiffert and a jury found in favor of Estrada.
The settlement is among the largest awarded to an individual by the city in a police misconduct case in recent years.
The City Council voted Tuesday to settle the case with Randy Murphy without admitting wrongdoing.
Murphy, a paraplegic, admitted to running from police when officers approached him on a West Oakland street corner Oct. 23, 2003.
Officers Matt McGiffert and Brett Estrada believed Murphy was on parole or probation and saw him swallow what looked like cocaine, said Chief Assistant City Attorney Barbara J. Parker.
But Murphy said an officer struggled with him as he tried to escape over a fence and caused him to hit his head on the ground. He injured his spine and will need professional care for the rest of his life.
The city argued the officers were nowhere near Murphy when he fell. No cocaine was found.
Murphy sued the city and the officers in 2004 in federal court in San Francisco. A mistrial was declared for McGiffert and a jury found in favor of Estrada.
The settlement is among the largest awarded to an individual by the city in a police misconduct case in recent years.