According to city records, Metro Government also paid more than $112,000 to private attorneys who represented it and three police officers Gregory sued. Bill O’Brien, who heads the Jefferson County Attorney’s Civil Division, said outside lawyers were necessary to eliminate potential conflicts.
“What might be the best claim for one police officer might not be good for a second police officer and may not be the best for Metro government as a whole,” Assistant Jefferson County Attorney Bill O’Brien said. “We went out so each individual could obtain the best possible counsel.”
The city hired five law firms to defend itself and its police officers. According to figures provided to Target 32 by the city, the firm of Benson, Byrne, Risch, Siemens and Lange received most of the attorney’s fees, at just more than $53,000.
Gregory’s attorney, Larry Simon, said the sides agreed on the $3.9 million figure after more than a day of meetings that he described as “a marathon” and that settlements are based on previous settlements in similar cases.
“Both sides are aware going into the mediation process, both side the defendant the plaintiffs are aware of settlements and jury verdicts arrived in courts for cases in this category,” Simon said.
A serious accident at the Louisville Extreme Park in 2002 prompted another large settlement. According to city records, Louisville paid $1.5 million to the family of an 11-year-old Tennessee boy who fell head-first from his bicycle. The city settled that case in 2006.
Also in 2006, the city paid nearly $1 million to three former Metro Parks lifeguards who sued the city for discrimination and hostile working conditions. And a fired city employee who sued for discrimination won more than $123,000.
O’Brien said Metro government gets sued 100 to 200 times per year, and county attorneys approach each case like it’s going to trial. Metro government pays $2.6 million annually for settlement insurance.
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In the Gregory case, the trust paid all but $300,000.
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