Pittsburgh to pay $5.5M in suit over police shooting

PITTSBURGH » The city of Pittsburgh has agreed to pay $5.5 million to resolve a federal lawsuit filed by a black man who was paralyzed when he was shot by a police officer during a traffic stop.

Mayor William Peduto and Leon Ford said in a joint statement released by the city Wednesday that “after five years of arduous litigation ... an amicable resolution” had been reached in the November 2012 shooting.

A jury cleared one officer of assault and battery allegations but said they were deadlocked on whether the other officer used excessive force in shooting him as his car sped away from the traffic stop with the officer still inside. A federal judge had scheduled a retrial next week on the suit alleging excessive force.

The statement said the agreement to pay Ford and his attorneys $5.5 million was in the best interest of Ford, the officer and the city, adding that it “will provide all involved the closure needed to move forward in a positive direction.”

The officers said Ford was shot five times because he tried to drive away during a struggle inside his vehicle. Their attorney said Ford was shot during a frantic seven-second interval when his car drove forward as one officer stood outside and the other, kneeling on the front passenger seat, fired multiple times from inside the car.