Atlanta committee expected to vote on $2 million settlement for 2020 arrest of 2 students – WABE

The Atlanta Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee could vote Monday, June 24, to approve a $2 million settlement with two students from historically black colleges who were arrested by Atlanta police officers four years ago.

Attorneys for Taniyah Pilgrim and Messiah Young filed a civil complaint in the Northern District of Georgia on June 17, 2021, according to online court records.

That was a day after former Cherokee Judicial District Attorney Samir Patel announced he had dropped charges against six Atlanta police officers who were fired from the police department and charged with battery and aggravated assault against Pilgrim and Young.

Patel was assigned to prosecute the case after the Fulton County prosecutor recused herself.

Two investigators who were initially placed on administrative leave were later reinstated and given the opportunity to collect back pay.

Video footage released by the Atlanta Police Department shows the officers confronting Pilgrim and Young in their car 45 minutes after the city’s 9 p.m. curfew.

The two men said they did not know the curfew had been put in place and were simply trying to get home from a protest at Centennial Olympic Park following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020 .

In the video, Pilgrim and Young appear to briefly walk away from the officers before stopping. The officers then snatch, tease and arrest the two occupants while Pilgrim shouts at them to stop. Young told CNN that a Taser remained behind his back for hours.

At the time, Pilgrim and Young were students at Spelman College and Morehouse College. They were 20 and 22 years old respectively.

The 46-page lawsuit claims the officers’ excessive use of force had a lasting impact on their mental, physical and emotional health.

Pilgrim and Young were seeking a jury trial and compensation that would help cover the costs of their legal fees. However, the issue could be about to be resolved this week.

“The City Attorney has conducted a thorough review of the facts and law and has determined that the City’s potential financial exposure in defending Plaintiffs’ claim exceeds the settlement amount,” Monday’s resolution states.

If approved, Pilgrim and Young will each receive $1 million. The money will be paid out of the city’s general fund.

The Atlanta City Council is expected to vote on the resolution at its July 1 meeting.