City to pay for false accusation

A former girls’ basketball coach wrongly accused of sexual assault has settled with the city of San Marino for $2.1 million.

Patrick Gillan sued the city and several of its police officers nearly six years ago for defamation, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress and malicious prosecution, court documents say.

In 2001 a police officer suggested at a news conference that Gillan might have molested several girls. Gillan was arrested but released an hour later and never charged.

He was reinstated in 2002 but eventually resigned.

In 2005, the jury awarded him $4.4 million. The city appealed the ruling and both sides agreed to settle.