Unprecedented global settlement is “a historic moment that reflects our commitment to accountability and healing,” says Chicago Mayor.
CHICAGO — The Chicago City Council voted unanimously to authorize a $90 million settlement in 176 police misconduct and wrongful conviction lawsuits, all tied to disgraced former police sergeant Ronald Watts and his crew.
This unprecedented global settlement—which was recommended unanimously and enthusiastically by the Council’s Finance Committee on Sept. 15—marks a historic departure in how Chicago deals with lawsuits against the police.
The settlement “closes a nasty and ugly chapter that many young men on the South Side endured,” said Ald. Jason Ervin (28th Ward) at the City Council Meeting on September 25th. Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th Ward), also rising in support of the motion, said “This should be the model for how we move forward.”
“Almost 200 people were wrongfully prosecuted as a result of this scandal,” says Jon Loevy of the law firm Loevy + Loevy, which represents the majority of the plaintiffs. “We are happy that the City was willing to engage in a meaningful settlement process to resolve the problem globally, providing long overdue compensation to the victims, saving taxpayers money, and putting this unfortunate era behind us once and for all. We are hopeful that this settlement can serve as a model in the future.”
All of the plaintiffs had their convictions thrown out after wrongdoing by Watts and other members of his tactical team came to light. Following an FBI investigation into allegations that Watts and his team were extorting money from community members—particularly in the former Ida B. Wells public housing complex—he and other officers pled guilty to extortion, and Watts was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison.
“For more than a decade, these Chicago police officers treated Black communities as if they could just be robbed and stolen from with impunity,” says attorney Theresa Kleinhaus of Loevy + Loevy.
In reaching this global settlement, the City has not admitted any wrongdoing. But, in announcing the settlement on Sept. 11, Mayor Brandon called the settlement “a historic moment that reflects our commitment to accountability and healing.”
It was also, as city attorney Mary Richardson-Lowry pointed out in recommending the deal, the fiscally-responsible thing to do. “The longer these cases remain unresolved, the more expensive closure becomes, driven largely by the potential for extraordinarily large jury awards, rising settlement costs, and mounting attorneys’ fees,” Richardson-Lowry said.
“No amount of money could pay our clients back for the injustices that were done to them,” says attorney Scott Rauscher. “But we are hopeful that the settlement provides them with some measure of justice.”
