Schenectady

The City Council unanimously approved payouts of about $1 million to settle two unrelated federal lawsuits: a gender and sexual discrimination charge by an ex-city firefighter and a police brutality case involving a former Union College student.

Last week, the Times Union reported that the terms of the deals call for each to receive about $500,000. The city did not accept liability in any civil cases.

Carl Falotico, the city attorney, declined after Monday's City Council meeting to discuss or confirm the particulars of the non-disclosure deal, which prohibits the parties involved from publicly talking about the agreement.

He said, however, that the city will not be contributing any money to the payout to former firefighter Jennifer Costa but that they would be on the hook for up to $25,000 of the agreement with Broderick Shea, the former student.

Costa alleged she was the victim of a pattern of sexual harassment and was passed over for promotions in favor of less-qualified male co-workers. In 2014, Costa, then a 14-year veteran of the fire department, was placed on informal leave of absence after the "drawing of a face with a bullet in its head was placed in her boot at the fire station," her suit, filed in U.S. District Court, said.

The legal document also states that Costa reported a similar threat in 2011, but Fire Chief Ray Senecal, then a deputy chief, allegedly told Costa that "boys will be boys" and "don't let these guys get to you."

Costa's suit also contended the fire department didn't have a sexual harassment policy and that female firefighters have been routinely passed over for promotion.

The suit also alleged the city held it against her when she was out on unpaid medical leave for a knee injury. She contends she was never informed she was eligible for at least 12 weeks of unpaid time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act and state disability benefits.

In another lawsuit, Shea alleged he was the victim of police brutality on April 12, 2014, after police responded to unruly crowds celebrating Union College's national hockey championship.

Shea, of Pennsylvania, also filed suit in U.S. District Court alleging that he was paraded through a crowd of people with his face covered in blood after one officer shoved him from behind and another "smashed his face into the concrete pavement."

He said he was the victim of "battery and excessive force" that caused an injury to his forehead that required 21 stitches and left Shea, then 20, with a concussion and permanent injury.

He was charged with resisting arrest, inciting to riot, obstruction of governmental administration and disorderly conduct. Shea contends he was denied a phone call repeatedly while being held in a cell for six hours after being charged.

Police said hundreds of students hurled bottles at vehicles and police as they tried to quiet the crowd.

Shea, who took a medical leave from school, tried to return to his studies at Union but dropped out because of the "lack of ability to focus and depression" and "humiliation of the previous circumstances and the severity of physical abuse," the suit said.

pnelson@timesunion.com • 518-454-5347 • @apaulnelson