The Associated Press
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A woman and two police officers settled out of court a $1 million lawsuit alleging police brutality.
Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. The case had been scheduled to go to trial Tuesday.
The Casper police officers named in the complaint were Shawn Jenkins, Steve Schlager and up to three unnamed officers, the Casper Star-Tribune reports.
The plaintiff was Christine Hunter, of Riverton and formerly of Casper, who claimed the officers permanently disabled her in 2002. She said one officer broke her elbow when she tried to talk to her three teenage children and a niece, who were being arrested.
Hunter claimed the officers grabbed her and threw her to the ground, then pushed her face into the dirt and asphalt while she was handcuffed.
Hunter claimed that one of the officers placed his knee in her back between her shoulder blades and that both of her arms were pulled up as far as they would go.
The complaint said Hunter was taken to the emergency room at the Wyoming Medical Center, where it was determined she had a broken and dislocated elbow and other injuries.
Hunter sought $250,000 on each of four claims of past and future medical bills, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, and disability. The city of Casper denied Hunter’s allegations, saying that its officers “used only necessary and reasonable force,” according to a response filed by attorney Scott Ortiz of Casper.
Hunter was charged with interfering with police, a misdemeanor.
She pleaded guilty and the conviction was dismissed because she was a first-time offender.
The two named officers, three unknown officers and the city of Casper were named as defendants. The city was dropped as a defendant June 1.