The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners approved a settlement of nearly $1 million to the family of James Chasse on Thursday.
Chasse, 42, was injured and died while in police custody in September of 2006. He was arrested after running from police officers who said they saw him urinating in public in the Pearl District.
Chasse died in a police car while being transported to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. A diagnosed schizophrenic, Chasse suffered 16 broken ribs, including some that punctured a lung and caused massive internal bleeding, according to autopsy results
On Thursday, Multnomah County Commissioners voted in favor of a $925,000 settlement with Chasse’s family. Other lawsuits are still pending in connection to the death.
Officer Christopher Humphreys said he pushed Chasse during the chase and that he fell down.
But a video of officers talking at the jail after they brought Chasse in captures Humphreys telling a sheriff’s deputy that “we tackled him.”
Following an investigation, Christine Mascal, a deputy district attorney, wrote: “After careful review of Humphreys’ use of the word ‘tackle’ and explanation of how he and James Chasse landed on the ground, we cannot conclude that such use of the word or added description was intended to deceive or mislead the grand jury or the investigators.”
In a press release Thursday, Tom Steenson, representing the Chasse family, said “The settlement agreement provides for the payment by Multnomah County of $925,000.00 to the family and estate of James P. Chasse, Jr. (“James”), in return for the family’s dismissal of all claims against those defendants from the lawsuit.”
Steenson also wrote that the Chasse case had also resulted in revisions to procedures and manuals for the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office when dealing with persons that have mental health issues.
Humphreys and three other officers have been named in a separate lawsuit.