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SPRINGFIELD - The city Law Department has petitioned the City Council to transfer $500,000 to cover legal judgments against the city.

(File photo / The Republican)

SPRINGFIELD - The Law Department has petitioned the City Council to transfer $500,000 to its budget at the council's next scheduled meeting to cover recent court settlements and judgments against the city.

City Attorney John Liebel confirmed those prospective settlements include a federal lawsuit leveled by a Connecticut FedEx driver and another state court judgment awarded by a judge to two city residents; both involved allegations of excessive force by city police.

Lawyers for plaintiff Michael Ververis recently settled a lawsuit just before a trial was set to begin in U.S. District Court. The FedEx driver sued police for allegedly beating and choking him during what he argued was an unjustified arrest in 2011.

Veveris, 26, of Middletown, Conn., alleged in a complaint filed last year that police targeted him as he was driving away from the city's entertainment district. He argued police struck his car with a flashlight as he was traveling out with two friends. When he demanded a badge number, they dragged him out of the car, choking and beating him in front of a crowd, the complaint states.

While notice of a settlement agreement was filed with the court, lawyers have not discussed the terms of the agreement.

The other case expected to be financially resolved pending approval of the council is that of Lucy Jones, a former convenience store owner who, along with her son and daughter, sued police in Hampden Superior Court. The three alleged Officer Ronald Boykan came into their store in 1999 looking for a suspect unrelated to the three, assaulted them and falsely arrested the younger Joneses.

The family was initially awarded a $1 million judgment that was flipped on appeal. The Jones children were later awarded $85,000 collectively after a hearing on money damages in 2014.

While he would not disclose the specifics of the proposed settlements, Liebel confirmed the two cases were among those to be covered under the earmark. That meeting is scheduled for March 2.

"The request for a financial order is to address a number of matters either pending or resolved in the law department. The transfer, if approved will fund Jones and Ververis as well as others," Liebel said.

The request comes on the heels of a $1 million settlement approved by the council in October related to a jury award to the mother of Delano Walker Jr., a 15-year-old struck and killed in traffic during a confrontation with police in 2009. A jury awarded Kissa Owens $1.3 million and the figure jumped to $1.7 million with annual interest. The city negotiated that number down to an even million dollars in exchange for not hanging it up with appeals.

City Council President Michael Fenton conceded this fiscal year has been a costly one in terms of lawsuits against the city.

"This year has been an unusually expensive year, but some of these settlements go back to matters from over 10 years ago," Fenton said. "The council has been briefed by the City Solicitor and executive session regarding the terms of the settlements and we believe it to be a good use of city resources."