City approves $750K settlement in Sterling Brown police misconduct lawsuit

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The city of Milwaukee will pay former Bucks player Sterling Brown $750-thousand, three years after he was forced to the ground and tased by police. 

The Common Council took a 14-0 vote in favor of the settlement that Brown's attorney calls historic.

Body cam video was enough to convince 14 aldermen to nearly double the city's original settlement proposal from $400-thousand to $750-thousand. 

“Milwaukee has joined the 21st century. We have taken a big step to enforce an anti-racist policing policy that will make a difference on the street,” said Mark Thomsen, Brown’s attorney.

In 2018, Milwaukee police used a taser on Brown and arrested him. Prior to the arrest, police body camera video showed Brown calm and polite as the officers became confrontational.

The former Bucks player wanted the city to admit police violated his constitutional rights during the encounter that started when he illegally parked outside a Walgreens.

The agreement does not include that. It does however, require changes to seven policing procedures.

“At the end of the day, Mr. Brown wanted to implement policy and he did. And rather than holding out for the admission for himself, changing the future for young people, people of color in this city, was crucial,” said Thomsen.

The changes would require police to report any time they pull out a firearm while on duty.

“That was always crucial and that is a significant step forward in Milwaukee’s history,” said Thomsen.

The incident prompted an internal investigation which led to several officers suspended and others retrained.

“I’ve always taken the position that the punishment was not adequate. It did not discipline the officers for actions of violating Mr. Brown’s constitutional rights, but today Mr. Brown looks forward, implementing a policy that will change the future,” said Thomsen.

The changes will be presented to the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission. 

The mayor is expected to sign the agreement with Sterling Brown.