MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The Minneapolis City Council voted to reject a $150,000 worker’s comp payout to a former Minneapolis police officer who was involved in the arrest of Jaleel Stallings.
Council members voted 9-3 to send the payment for former Sgt. Andrew Bittell back to city staff members. Earlier in the week, the council’s Policy and Government Oversight Committee also rejected the payout.
The move sends the settlement back to the city attorney’s office for further review.
Council Member Robin Wonsley, who voted to kick the payout back to staff, said the city needs to be willing to take on some of these claims. Council Member Jeremy Ellison echoed Wonsley’s sentiment, adding that if the city prevailed in litigation, they could potentially set a new precedent for dealing with worker’s comp settlements.
After the committee vote earlier this week, Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw, who voted to approve the payment, told FOX 9 later that rejecting the settlement could end up being more costly for the city in the long run, as the case may ultimately end up in the courts.
Since the killing of George Floyd and the riots that ensued after, the City of Minneapolis has paid out $33 million in worker’s compensation claims.
