CREDIT: AP
The city of Ferguson, Missouri was hit with a lawsuit Thursday by people who say officers violated their civil rights during the demonstrations against the police shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown. The $40 million federal lawsuit is sure to be the first of many addressing the police treatment of protesters and journalists in the aftermath of the shooting. The weeks of misconduct and mismanagement by Ferguson police are turning out to be expensive for city and county taxpayers.
The six Ferguson plaintiffs say police officers treated them “as if they were war combatants,” using tactics like beating, rubber bullets, pepper spray, and stun grenades, while the plaintiffs were peacefully protesting, sitting in a McDonalds, and in one case walking down the street to visit relatives. The suit targets Ferguson, St. Louis County, both jurisdictions’ police chiefs, and the individual officers.
It’s hard to imagine how a small, low-income city like Ferguson can scrounge up anything close to $40 million should they end up settling the suit. The sum dwarfs the city’s total revenues for the fiscal year. The lawsuit is less damaging for the larger and wealthier St. Louis County, but as other complaints over the police’s behavior pile on, litigation will inevitably take a toll on the budget. On top of the cost to defend and settle the lawsuits, St. Louis County has already spent at least $1 million on police overtime in Ferguson and is setting aside another million to help residents who were affected by the chaos.
just wondering how all those White police supporters feel now that they know they have to foot the bill for the racism they hire and support when it is in play, still all warm and fuzzy? get's even more expensive when those in violation get to go home kick back and wait for that next check, are they still feeling pleased with their selves or will there be a mass backing away from the racist law enforcers with the military gear? wonder if they'll have the audacity of arrogance and ask for federal gov't help and even more curious will they have the balls to say "oh hell no you can't" to quote Beohner.
