Vet (Scott Olsen) Wounded By Police At Occupy Protest Reaches $4.5 Million Settlement

[Tx4obama]

Vet Wounded By Police At Occupy Protest Reaches $4.5 Million Settlement

An Iraq War veteran who was wounded by police during a 2011 Occupy protest in Oakland, Calif. has reached a $4.5 million settlement with the city, The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Friday.

Scott Olsen, 26, was struck in the head by a beanbag fired by a police officer on Oct. 25, 2011. He was part of a protest against the police clearing of an Occupy Oakland encampment outside City Hall.

"We're very pleased that Scott is finally getting some compensation," Rachel Lederman, one of Olsen's attorneys, told the Chronicle. "He was very seriously injured and sustained some serious brain damage as a result of being shot at close range."

Olsen filed a federal lawsuit over the incident, which stated that the beanbag had fractured his skull and caused "severe hemorrhaging of his brain." The Oakland City Attorney's office announced Friday that it would pay Olsen $1.8 million, while the city's insurance carrier would pay the balance of the settlement.

-snip-

Full post here: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/scott-olsen-occupy-settlement

[sabrina 1]

1. Great, I hope he gets it. That cop nearly killed him, then aimed at the people who went to try to

help him. A criminal who is a threat to the safety of the public. Last I heard he had still not been named, although a journalist had investigated from the videos and seemed to think he had solved the 'mystery'.

They're so tough when all dressed up in their robo gear, hiding their faces, in a crowd of other robo cops, but when their crimes are reported all over the world, they go hide and are too cowardly to face the music.

$4 million isn't nearly enough for what those cops did that night, not just to Scott, but American citizens exercising their right to protest peacefully.

Rather symbolically, Scott Olsen lost his voice for quite a while due to the brutality of that coward.

I wonder what has been done to get that individual off the streets and away from the public to whom he is clearly a serious threat.

[rhett o rick]

2. I am glad he won the award but not happy that those that are punished (the taxpayers)

are not the ones responsible. The officer that shot him should go to prison.

[sabrina 1]

4. As far as I know they still haven't identified that coward.

I agree that we are not responsible so should not be the ones paying. I hope he has also sued the PD in Oakland assuming the cop is from Oakland, they were shipping in armies of robo cops from all over in order to 'deal' with unarmed, peaceful protesters.

[JusticeForAll]

9. I'm thrilled that the taxpayers get to pay for this

I totally get what your saying, but I look at it from a different perspective - The police are just one more thing the average taxpayer should wake up to and change in his or her community and government.

I also agree with your second point if they ever find the one responsible.

[Warpy]

10. Yes, and the man in the Robo Cop suit also got off scot free

and this is wrong. These militarized police have got to be stopped. They are a bigger threat than criminals ever were.

[rhett o rick]

15. Yes I agree. nm

[JJChambers]

13. Why are they yelling "medic!!"

It's not a video game. Ugh.

[pinboy3niner]

16. Because Occupy Oakland Medics provide first aid at street actions

https://occupyoakland.org/generalassembly/committees/medics-committee/

[Earth_First]

17. Most large-scale mobilizations have street medics to provide instant medical attention to activists.

Most activist groups offer street medic training prior to these mass mobilizations as well.

[LadyHawkAZ]

3. Good.

That kid is a friend of my nephew- they served together in Iraq.

I hope he collects every penny.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. good

[dreamnightwind]

6. K & R

Glad to see Scott won a settlement, what they did to him was horrific. Now let's get the shooter removed from his job of protecting citizens from violence, obviously unqualified.

[Cha]

7. Bless his heart.. we all remember that terrible attack!

Thanks Tx

[Luminous Animal]

8. He's a stellar activist and supports Manning, Assange, Greenwald and Snowden.

[ReRe]

11. What's that got to do with the price of cheese in China?

... I think that's the kind of comment that gets the guilt-by-association/animosity ball rolling. Cool it. Better yet, run over and watch his interview with Amy Goodman on DemocracyNow and you will understand why I think what you said was a cheap shot. If I misunderstood your post and you actually meant it as sarcasm, I apologize. That precious young man will never be able to work again. He deserves every penny for a life-time of missed work and other missed opportunities that the rest of us enjoy. And who or what he supports is of no relevance here.

[Downwinder]

12. Now the Oakland taxpayers should sue the officers involved

to recover their losses.

[reddread]

14. as I tried to point out, those cops werent calling the shots

painful pun, purely accidental.
remember the conference calls?
There is a history to this sort of misery, and his name is Jerry Brown.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014761509#post38