Design Highlights
- The $8.1 million settlement addresses allegations of police brutality and inhumane conditions during 2020 protests following high-profile deaths.
- Each of the 479 individuals can receive compensation between $10,500 and $13,000 for their experiences during the protests.
- The settlement highlights the need for accountability and collaborative efforts among local authorities to address grievances related to policing.
- Cincinnati’s commitment to policy changes aims to prevent future incidents of excessive force and enhance protest management.
- The settlement serves as a wake-up call for broader law enforcement reforms and challenges existing perceptions of policing in Cincinnati.
In a striking move that underscores the ongoing fallout from the 2020 protests, Cincinnati City Council has approved an $8.1 million settlement for 479 individuals who alleged police brutality, wrongful arrests, and inhumane conditions during those chaotic nights.
Yes, you heard that right. Nearly $10,500 to $13,000 per person is on the table, depending on how their experiences lined up with the city’s definition of “harm.” Not exactly chump change.
This all stems from the protests that erupted after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. The lawsuit, initially filed by just 11 plaintiffs, turned into a class action as more and more people joined in. By the time it was all said and done, those involved were claiming everything from excessive use of force to being locked up in less-than-ideal conditions.
And guess what? Not a single one of these plaintiffs faced felony charges. Most were slapped with misdemeanors that got tossed out like yesterday’s trash. Talk about a waste of time.
Of course, it wasn’t just the city throwing money around—the Hamilton County chipped in a measly $65,000. That’s about 0.8% of the total settlement. Some council members raised eyebrows over the county’s tiny share, questioning if they were really stepping up to the plate.
Why is the city footing the bill for the county’s mess? Good question.
The legal wrangling began in 2022, and it’s been a rollercoaster ride of allegations about curfews being downright unconstitutional. Not to mention the conditions at the Hamilton County Justice Center, where many of the protesters were detained. Settlement approval reports surfaced of excessive force and conditions so poor they’d make anyone question their sanity. The city has also committed to making policy changes to the police department to prevent such incidents in the future.
Despite all this, the city has been careful with its words, making it clear that there’s no admission of wrongdoing in the settlement. Smart move? Maybe. After all, who wants to deal with the headache of a trial when you can just pay up and move on?
In the end, Cincinnati’s payout is a reminder of how the city’s past policing practices are still very much under scrutiny—and how they’ve become a hefty line item in the budget. Much like how rising healthcare costs are squeezing budgets across the nation in 2025, municipalities are finding their own financial pressures from legal settlements and policy reforms.
It’s a wake-up call, but will it lead to real change? Only time will tell.
