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Council approves $1.6 million Chasse settlement

Update • Mayor Sam Adams apologizes to Chasse family for death, delay in getting facts

By Jim Redden

The Portland Tribune, Jul 27, 2010, Updated Jul 28, 2010 (3 Reader comments)

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The City Council approved the largest settlement in a police-related case in Portland history on Wednesday.

The council voted 4-0 to authorize a $1.6 million settlement with the family of James Chasse Jr., the schizophrenic man who died after being injured while he was arrested on Sept. 17, 2006. Commissioner Dan Saltzman was home sick.

Explaining his vote, Adams apologized to the Chasse family for the death and the delay in resolving the case.

"This settlement was years in the making," Adams said. "It took way too long."

Chasse died while being transported to a hospital after the Multnomah County Justice Center Jail refused to book him because of his medical condition. The medical examiner concluded that Chasse died as a result of multiple internal injuries, including fractured ribs that punctured one lung.

A Multnomah County grand jury declined to charge anyone involved in the arrest with a crime. A Portland police sergeant and an officer were subsequently suspended for not ensuring that Chasse received proper medical attention. The police union is appealing the suspensions.

The Chasse family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court against the city, Multnomah County and medical personal that responded to the arrest scene in Northwest Portland.

Although the county and ambulance company settled with the family more than a year ago, the city continued fighting the lawsuit until mid-April, when U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken mediated an agreement with the family.

An independent review of the incident commissioned by the city auditor’s office faulted the police bureau on several aspects of its criminal and internal affairs investigations into the incident, including the amount of time it took to conclude them.

The report, by the OIR Group, was scheduled to be presented to the council Wednesday evening. It recommends several policy and procedural changes for future deadly force and in-custody death changes, most of which Police Chief Mike Reese has endorsed.

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Reader comments

Re: Council set to approve $1.6 million Chasse settlement

The only one this setttlement punishes is the taxpayer. It seems foolish to sue me (taxpayer) because the city screwed up. I hope the family will donate all the money from the lawsuits to help the mentally ill. I would not want to profit from my childs death.

"Taxpayer"

(email verified)

Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 08:25 PM

Re: Council set to approve $1.6 million Chasse settlement

When are police forces ever going to contain brutal sociopaths like officer Chris Humphreys ? This badged bully had a history of abuse before the Chasse tragedy, and was never really dealt with. Just look at what this raging redneck has cost the taxpayers of our city. He is still on the force, now behind a desk, dreaming of the days when he could tackle pitiful mentally ill people, and shoot bean bags point blank into a 12 yr old girl .... what a mindless monster !

""

(email verified)

Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 11:12 PM

Re: Council set to approve $1.6 million Chasse settlement

The only way taxpayers will get any justice out of this is for Portlanders to throw the current City Council out onto the street and elect some people with the guts to take control of rouge City employees. Right now Portlanders are saddled with a liar for mayor, a double-pensioner who panders to City employee unions, including the uber-powerful Police Association, a spineless backtracker and two others who may be well intended, but are clueless. City Council is not a team geared up for success. This is a team designed for repeated error and sad sad failure.