Journalists’ Suit Against LAPD Settled

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday agreed to pay $60,000 to seven journalists struck by police officers trying to disperse protesters outside the Democratic National Convention last year.

Under the settlement agreement approved by the council, the Los Angeles Police Department also will be required to institute a policy that recognizes that the media has a right to cover public assemblies, even if they have been deemed unlawful.

“To the extent reasonably possible under the circumstances, LAPD will make efforts to accommodate this reporting obligation,” according to the settlement agreement.

The journalists, including television consumer reporter David Horowitz, alleged in their suit that the LAPD violated their constitutional rights when they used force to break up the large crowd outside Staples Center in August 2000.

“All the plaintiffs suffered alleged injuries as a result of being struck in some way,” according to a confidential council report. One suffered a cracked shoulder and another’s left ear was partially torn open when he was hit by a rubber bullet.

Horowitz was severely bruised and scraped after he was “knocked down and repeatedly kicked by officers as he tried to explain that he was a credentialed member of the press,” according to the report.

The plaintiffs initially asked for $423,000, including attorneys’ fees.