City Of Mpls. Agrees To Pay Fmr. Viking Tom Johnson, Attorneys $475K In Lawsuit Settlement
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The City of Minneapolis has agreed to pay former Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Tom Johnson and his attorneys $475,000 in a lawsuit settlement.
On Friday morning, the Minneapolis City Council approved the settlement. The lawsuit was filed in federal court and the two sides reached an agreement last month.
Johnson's attorney says it's a full settlement of all his claims after four years of litigation.
MORE: Copy Of Settlement Document (.PDF)
In 2015, Johnson fought in court against the way two Minneapolis police officers handled him and won. A jury found Tom Johnson not guilty today of disorderly conduct and trespassing. The charges stem from a scuffle with police at a downtown nightclub last fall.
In court, jurors heard the defensive tackle was Tasered by officers for 14 seconds in the back, nine seconds longer than his lawyers say is police protocol.
"Despite video evidence showing Johnson was tased by the officers when he was compliant and non-resistant, the officers described the incident as a violent encounter with a resisting suspect and charged Johnson with disorderly conduct and obstructing legal process, requiring him to defend himself at trial, before he was completely acquitted of all charges," Johnson's attorney, Eric Hageman of Pritzker Hageman, P.A, said.
Hageman says Johnson was publicly-branded at the time as a troublemaker and wrongdoer, in the public and within the NFL, due to the incident.
