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The city of Rock Hill, South Carolina will pay $500,000 to a Black man who was forcefully and falsely arrested by police, per the Caledonian Record.
In June 2021, Travis Price was checking on his brother, who was being arrested after a traffic stop, when police violently arrested him.
An initial statement from police suggested Price bumped an officer and was "yelling belligerently." However, video shared on social media showed an officer grabbing Price and pushing him into a propane tank. The officer also pinned Price down and yelled at him to fight.
Video of the arrest sparked days of protests in Rock Hill. Price's attorney said the city defamed Price by falsely suggesting he was the aggressor in the incident.
"Mr. Price is a father of three and a family man whose reputation was unduly impacted following the incident by statements put out by the city of Rock Hill. He was innocent and this settlement will allow him to move forward and continue to work hard to provide for his family," attorney Justin Bamberg said in a statement.
Charges against Price were dismissed. The officer involved in the incident, Jonathan Moreno, was fired but found not guilty of battery and assault. Moreno was dropped from Price's lawsuit after a settlement with the city was reached, according to court records.
Price's attorney said they filed the suit to prevent similar incidents to innocent people in the future.
"We are confident that that message will be delivered loud and clear," Bamberg said.
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