Denver City Council set to approve $2.865 million in settlements tied to 2020 protest lawsuit

Denver City Council is scheduled Monday to approve 13 liability-claims resolutions totaling $2.865 million to settle claims in a federal civil-rights lawsuit over Denver Police conduct during the 2020 George Floyd protests.

The proposed payouts on the June 8 council agenda range from $140,000 to $300,000 and would be paid from the city's liability-claims account. The agenda lists these plaintiffs and settlement amounts: Jesse Friedman, $205,000; Alex Hickman, $275,000; Ryan Kehoe, $165,000; Kristen Klotzer, $190,000; Patricia Koo, $275,000; Susan McKillips, $165,000; Brett Rios, $270,000; Tashari Sayers, $155,000; Raymond Schwab, $215,000; Joe Szuszwalak, $300,000; Isis Usborne, $210,000; Adam Bentch, $140,000; and Marquis Dominick, $300,000.

In the federal case, plaintiffs alleged Denver officers violated protesters' First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights during the May 2020 demonstrations by firing rubber bullets, pepper balls, tear-gas canisters and other less-lethal weapons at peaceful protesters. Denverite reported in May that the city admitted liability after losing an appeal in another protest-related lawsuit, leaving injuries and damages as the main remaining dispute.

A June 4 joint status report order reflected on PacerMonitor directed the parties to file dismissal papers or another status report by July 15, indicating the case was nearing resolution before the council resolutions appeared. Denverite also reported that the case had been set for a jury trial.

The settlement package arrives as the city moves more money into its claims fund. Denver's 2026 proposed budget says the Liability Claims Fund is the city's self-insurance pool for settlements and judgments, funded by a General Fund transfer, and that council approval is required for settlements above $5,000. The next day's Mayor-Council agenda includes a separate proposal to rescind $3 million from General Fund contingency and appropriate it to the Liability Claims Special Revenue Fund.

The agenda does not link that proposed $3 million transfer to this protest case. But the two items show Denver is advancing a large cluster of police-liability settlements while also proposing to add money to the fund used to pay such claims.

The immediate action before council is limited and clear: if the resolutions pass as listed on Monday's agenda, Denver will spend nearly $2.9 million to resolve claims by 13 plaintiffs in one lawsuit over police actions during the 2020 protests.