Minneapolis city officials are close to settling a pair of police-related lawsuits, one involving allegations of excessive force and another accusing police of conducting an illegal search.
The proposed settlements will be voted on at Wednesday's meeting of the City Council's newly formed Policy & Government Oversight Committee. If approved, the settlements will still need the full council to sign off.
In the first case, plaintiff Kamau Hudson accused police officer Kyle Ruud of illegally searching his home; the city is proposing to settle for $7,500 to cover "alleged damages, attorneys' fees and costs."
In the other lawsuit, filed in federal court two years ago, Brittni A. Gaines accused officer Nathan Bauer of slamming her to the ground and handcuffing her after she walked into traffic on a busy Uptown street. The suit originally sought $50,000 in damages; both sides agreed on a payout of $58,829.10.
In both cases, officials said that it was in the city's "best interests" to settle the matter out of court.
A Minneapolis police spokesman referred questions to the City Attorney's Office, which handles most lawsuits filed against city employees, but a spokesman for the office declined to comment.
A message left for Gaines' attorney wasn't immediately returned Tuesday.
Libor Jany • 612-673-4064
