The politics of the case and the racial realities of the justice system could make for a costly settlement, said civil rights attorney Paul Applebaum, who has represented victims of Minneapolis police in use-of-force cases.
“I’m going to be blatant. This was a middle-aged, attractive white woman who by all accounts was a tremendous human being,” Applebaum said. “And that’s going to be one of the motivating factors in the city settling, because of her appealing personality and what she’d accomplished in her life. That’s an easy sell for a plaintiff’s lawyer.”
There have also been recent Supreme Court cases that make it more difficult for people to sue police officers, Applebaum said, which could play in the city’s favor.
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Andy Mannix Star Tribune