Sterling Brown accepts $ 750,000 settlement with city of Milwaukee years after being arrested during arrest

Milwaukee Bucks guard Sterling Brown agreed to a $ 750,000 settlement with the city of Milwaukee, nearly three years later levels by an officer during a clash with police over a parking violation, court documents show.

The settlement will also require the city to admit that Brown’s constitutional rights have been violated and to commit to implementing changes to the police department. Brown signed the settlement agreement on Friday, which still requires city council approval. City attorney Tearman Spencer recommended the settlement on Wednesday.

On January 26, 2018, a police officer approached Brown after illegally parking at two disabled parking spaces, officials said. Several officers arrived at the scene and a fight ensued. Video of the arrest showed officers taking Brown to the ground and shocking him with a Taser.

Brown was arrested but never charged. Shortly after the arrest, he played an NBA game with visible bruises on his face. He then sued the city, claiming officers used excessive force.

In September 2019, Brown rejected a $ 400,000 settlement offer from the city. His lawyer said at the time that any settlement should include an admission of guilt.

Writing in The Players’ Tribune last July, Sterling said he rejected the offer because he wanted “more than money.”

“I want cops to show respect and be held accountable when they step off the line, especially in the neighborhoods they are supposed to serve and protect on a daily basis,” he wrote. “If they kill a man, I want them to receive the same punishment as another guy on the street.”

On Monday, the Bucks welcomed the news of the settlement agreement, writing that “No one should ever have to endure the horrendous abuse and injustices that Sterling has suffered.”

Brown, 25, was one of the loudest players surrounding the Bucks’ decision to boycott an August game against the Orlando Magic to protest the filming by Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. The move prompted the NBA to postpone all games scheduled for that day and prompted athletes from other professional sports leagues to follow suit.