Suit over WTO arrests settled | Seattle P-I

[Ediacara]

Monday, January 19, 2004

Suit over WTO arrests settled
Seattle will pay $250,000, subject to judge's approval

By JAKE ELLISON
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

The city of Seattle has agreed to pay $250,000 to World Trade Organization protesters swept up in mass arrests during the riots and protests that crippled downtown in 1999.

The settlement involves 155 people and requires the approval of the judge in the case, said Steve Berman, lead attorney for the plaintiffs. A trial had been scheduled to start tomorrow.

The turning point in the lawsuit came when U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman ruled that the mass arrest had violated the protesters' rights, Berman said. Last month, Pechman said the arrests violated the constitutional mandate that arrests be made only when police have probable cause to believe a crime has been committed.

More at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

[reprehensor]

1. :)

Not enough in my opinion.

[mbperrin]

2. So it's OK to violate someone's civil rights for about $1600?

hmmmmmmmmm

[Ediacara]

3. I agree

not nearly enough money, and not nearly enough punishment for those involved. Which is why I underlined $250,000 in the original article.

[Voltaire99]

4. Should not the punishment fit the crime?

Instead, how about allowing those whose rights were violated to mace, beat, grope, insult and jail their offenders?

[RC]

5. An eye for an eye?

Na, that only works for the self-righteous.