The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department has reached a settlement of $65,000 in a lawsuit that accused one of its officers of employing excessive force during an incident at a Platte County Walmart in 2022.
Bermeeka Mitchell, a Black woman in her 50’s, claims that an officer employed an excessive amount of force during her arrest, which led to injuries on her wrists, arm, and shoulder.
“I mean, she’s traumatized,” John Picerno, a Kansas City lawyer who represented Mitchell in the case, said. “That’s not an over exaggeration.”
Picerno initially approached the office of community complaints with her story.
Picerno retained the officer as her lawyer only after learning about his past.
Blayne Newton served as the arresting officer in this case.
In 2020, Newton fatally shot Donnie Sanders, who was unarmed. The case of Sanders became the focus of a “notable event review” that was published shortly before the start of the New Year.
The report suggested that Newton’s employment should be reconsidered.
Newton is currently employed by the KCPD and holds a position in the patrol bureau.
“I really don’t understand why he is still a police officer,” Picerno said.
According to Picerno, he is currently handling more wrongful death lawsuits related to Newton’s involvement in a shooting incident in 2023. This particular incident resulted in two fatalities and one injury. Picerno is actively preparing these cases to be presented in court in November.
Abby Dodge from KSHB 41 contacted the KCPD to gather their comments regarding this case, Newton’s employment, and the total amount of taxpayer funds used for settlements.
Unfortunately, KCPD Chief of Police Stacey Graves was not available for an interview, as stated by the department.
In response to our email, they expressed their anticipation for a genuine collaborative partnership with the Prosecutor’s Office in the future.
When asked about the settlement in Mitchell’s case, the department expressed its satisfaction with the resolution, stating, “This settlement concludes all legal claims in this matter. We are pleased that we were able to reach a mutual resolution in the lawsuit.”
During a previous interview, Graves highlighted the cost-effectiveness of settlements as opposed to paying extensive legal fees to defend a case in court, emphasizing the benefits for both the police and taxpayers.
“Some of these lawsuits, as you know, our officers are put in no-win situations where they have to react. And sometimes, that could’ve been done better,” Graves said. “And sometimes, I mean, that was a reasonable response to whatever was presented to them. But it still results in a monetary price tag to try to remedy that situation.”
In a span of a year and a half, from 2022 to 2023, Caitlin Knute from KSHB 41 uncovered through her reporting that the department had paid out over $10 million in settlements.