Burlington pays $215K to settle a lawsuit accusing an officer of excessive force
Vermont’s largest city, Burlington, paid $215,000 to settle the case a lawsuit accuses a police officer of using excessive force by grabbing a man and knocking him to the ground, knocking him unconscious in September 2018.
According to the federal lawsuit filed in 2019, Mabior Jok was standing outside with a group when a conversation became heated. Officer Joseph Corrow, without announcing himself or giving instructions, then knocked Jok to the ground, the lawsuit says.
The police chief said at the time that an internal investigation had determined that Corrow had not called for backup or given verbal commands, but that he had not used excessive force, according to a court filing. He also said Jok was known to officers “as an individual with a violent history who has attacked the community and police officers.”
The settlement was reached in late August, about a week before a trial was scheduled to begin, said Jok’s attorney Robb Spensley, who called it a fair settlement. It was first reported by Seven Days.
“I would like to add that this settlement is life-changing money for my client, who has been homeless on and off for many years,” Spensley said in an email Thursday.
According to Joe Magee, deputy chief of staff in the mayor’s office, the city’s insurance company paid $140,000 and the city paid $75,000.
The city recognizes that the matter has been in court for a long time and is pleased that a resolution has been reached, Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said in a statement Thursday.
“We hope that the resolution of the case provides some relief for Mr. Jok,” she said. “We also recognize that the city must approach each use-of-force incident as an opportunity to evaluate what happened and ensure that our police training, practices and policies emphasize de-escalation, minimal reliance on the use of force, and effective communication.”
Last year, the city agreed to pay $750,000 to settle another excessive force lawsuit, in which police were accused of brutally assaulting another black man, also in September 2018.
The lawsuit alleges that Officer Jason Bellavance approached two men who were arguing outside a bar and, without announcing his presence, pushed Jeremie Meli with both hands. Meli fell backward, hit his head on a wall and was knocked unconscious.
Bellavance was suspended following an internal investigation and left the department in 2020 in a separation agreement with the city. It came amid protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Protesters in Burlington called for the firing of three officers, including Bellavance.
In another case in 2019, a man died two days after being struck in the head by a Burlington police officer. A federal judge in 2021 approved a $45,000 settlement in a lawsuit filed by Doug Kilburn’s family.