PHOENIX — The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to approve a $6-million settlement in a civil lawsuit filed by individuals who had criminal charges filed against them after protesting in downtown Phoenix.
The large group of plaintiffs sued the county and the City of Phoenix after stating they were wrongfully charged as being members of a fictional street gang.
After holding a closed-door meeting on Dec. 9 to discuss the litigation, the county's supervisors approved a settlement in the legal action brought against former Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel and several others.
The lawsuit stemmed from public protests that began in the summer of 2020 in downtown Phoenix following George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. Following more demonstrations held in October 2020, the plaintiffs were arrested by police and accused of belonging to an anti-police street gang.
The lawsuit accused law enforcement officials of fabricating evidence in order to obtain indictments against the plaintiffs.
By the summer of 2021, the county attorney's office dismissed the charges against the protestors. Adel resigned from office less than a year later.
An independent report ordered by the city confirmed that Phoenix police had "no credible evidence" to charge the protestors.
The controversy was perceived as one of the U.S. Department of Justice's reasons for opening a years-long investigation into the Phoenix Police Department. The federal agency ultimately concluded the police department "violates the rights of people engaged in protected speech and expression."
Attorneys for the plaintiffs declined to comment on the county's settlement.
