$22,500 to Seattle WA Jail Brutality Suit
The King County (Seattle) jail in Washington settled a brutality suit on January 26, 1998, by paying a former jail prisoner $22,500. Lonnie Burton was a prisoner in the King County jail when he alleged he was attacked without provocation by jail guard Troy Bacon, who slammed Burton's face into a wall, put tight handcuffs on him, kneed and kicked him while he was handcuffed and then dragged him by his hair to another cell. Burton claimed that this treatment violated his Eighth Amendment right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. The suit was settled after the court denied the defendants summary judgment and scheduled the case for trial.
The defendant jail employees did not admit to liability or any wrongdoing. The settlement provides that $12,000 will be paid to Burton as damages; $2,000 goes towards costs and $8,500 being paid as attorney fees to Seattle lawyer Susan Diamondstone, who was appointed to represent Burton after he withstood the defendants' summary judgment motion pro se. The settlement is unpublished. See: Burton v. Bacon, Case No. C94-1561S. U.S.D.C. Seattle, WA.
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Related legal case
Burton v. Bacon
| Year | 1998 |
|---|---|
| Cite | Case No. C94-1561S US DC Seattle, WA |
| Level | District Court |
| Conclusion | Settlement |
| Attorney Fees | 8500 |
| Damages | 12000 |
| Injunction Status | N/A |