Chasse Case Settles For $1.6Million, No Gag

From Maxine Bernstein at the Oregonian:

The city of Portland and the family of James P. Chasse Jr. have reached a settlement in the family’s federal wrongful death lawsuit after a full day of negotiations with U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken mediating.

The $1.6 million settlement, reached at 4 p.m. Monday, still must be approved by the City Council.

Both the mayor’s office and the attorney for Chasse’s family, Tom Steenson, are scheduled to release separate statements this afternoon.

Under the terms of the settlement, the bureau is expected to release the Portland police internal affairs investigative report and its training division’s examination of the Sept. 17, 2006, death in-custody case.

Both documents had been part of a court protective order while the lawsuit was pending.

It’s not clear whether other documents will remain subject to the gag order. And good job to Bernstein. I literally cannot figure out where she got the $1.6million figure from, but at least I’ll admit to it. I’m sure James Pitkin is about to report this story over at Willamette Week without mentioning her work, or noting that he’s updated his coverage. [sigh]

$1.6million is a record for a settlement on police issues by the City Of Portland. It’s not clear whether that figure includes attorney fees for the Chasse family’s attorney Tom Steenson, who has worked exclusively on the case for three years. Considering the cost of copying, court appearances, and transcriptionists for all of that legal work, Steenson’s bill to the city could easily be another $1million, according to my sources.

The city’s insurance company is understood to have a cap of $1million on its coverage, meaning taxpayers will be liable for at least another $600,000.

In 1986 the city paid out $625,287 to the family of Lloyd ‘Tony’ Stevenson following his death in 1985 by carotid artery hold—prompting citizen outrage when officers made t-shirts that said “don’t choke ’em, smoke ’em.” In 2004 the city paid out $845,000 to a group of anti-war protesters for the behavior of its officers in protests dating back to 2002 and 2003. In 2005 the city paid out $600,000 for the death of Damon Lowery in 1999. Lowery had jumped out a window and was bleeding. The police pepper sprayed him, shot him with beanbags, and then stood on him before he died. In 2007 the city paid out $500,000 to the family of Raymond Gwerder, who was shot in the back while on the phone to a hostage negotiator in 2005.

Update, 11:45:

COMMISSIONER SALTZMAN TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE REGARDING SETTLEMENT OF JAMES CHASSE JR. CASE

Police Commissioner Dan Saltzman and City Attorney Linda Meng will discuss terms of the settlement at a press conference this afternoon, as well as discuss policy changes regarding the Portland Police Bureau’s intersection with the mental health system.

Press Conference:
Location: City Hall, First Floor Atrium
Time: 1:30pm

We’ll be there.