News in Brief: University of California pays $1 million for pepper spray settlement

Sophomore Ian Lee speaks at the ACLU press conference about the settlement between the students and the University of California. The University of California will pay $1,000,000 and implement policy changes regarding free speech.

The University of California will pay approximately $1 million to settle the pepper spray lawsuit, according to the settlement that was submitted yesterday for court approval.

Plaintiffs of the case will be paid $630,000 ($30,000 each) and $250,000 will be paid to attorney and legal fees. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) will be paid $20,000 for the organization’s future work with the University to promote freedom of speech and expression. UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi will also issue a formal apology to each plaintiff who was pepper sprayed or arrested, according to a press release by ACLU.

$100,000 will be awarded to non-plaintiffs who were pepper sprayed or arrested Nov. 18, as the case was just developed as a class-action lawsuit.

The terms of the settlement were agreed upon in a closed session by the UC Board of Regents at a UC Regents meeting Sept. 13 at the UCSF Mission Bay campus.

“I want the University and the police to understand what they did wrong. Police should be accountable to students … I felt like the University silenced me,” said sophomore Ian Lee in the press release.

Before the settlement is finalized, it will be reviewed by a federal court judge for possible approval.

— Muna Sadek