UC To Pay $1M in Pepper Spray Settlement

The University of California regents will pay out about $1 million to settle a lawsuit with 21 plaintiffs over last November’s pepper-spraying of students on the U.C. Davis quad — including about $250,000 in legal fees.

The deal also calls for a written apology from Chancellor Linda Katehi to each student who was pepper sprayed, according to the Sacramento Bee.

Here's the full settlement (PDF) and the ACLU's full press announcement.

"Pepper spray is unimaginable pain," says Fatima Sbeih, a victim, in a Patch video.

Here are a few noteworthy bits from Wednesday's settlement:

• Each of the 21 plaintiffs will receive $30,000, with a total payout of $630,000, according to the Bee.
• The agreement makes the suit a class action, which means other pepper spray students may submit claims and receive up to $20,000. Five to ten more claimants are expected, hence the estimate of $100,000. Their payout will depend on the total number of students who come forward.
• The UC Regents will also pay $250,000 in legal fees.
• Students will receive counseling for any academic issues that arose as a result of the pepper spray.
• It still must be approved by a federal judge.
• The deal also allots $20,000 to the ACLU for legal fees to review and provide input on UC-Davis policies on handling demonstrations.

The Sacramento Bee has a detailed article about today's news.