FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 20, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Yasmeen Khan, ykhan@lccrsf.org, C:310-863-1432

Monetary Settlement Reached in Sacramento Police Brutality Lawsuit; Bench Trial for Changes to Police Practices Begins March 24 

***PRESS RELEASE***

Sacramento, CA – In a significant victory for racial justice and police accountability, plaintiffs in White et al., v. City of Sacramento have reached a settlement with the City of Sacramento. The City has agreed to pay a total of $350,000 in monetary damages to the plaintiffs, who were subjected to police violence during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and the 2020 and 2021 “Stop the Steal” rallies.  

However, the fight for justice continues. A bench trial on the plaintiffs’ demands for injunctive relief will begin on March 24, where plaintiffs will seek changes to address the Sacramento Police Department’s discriminatory and violent policies and practices. 

The case stems from the plaintiffs’ allegations that the Sacramento Police Department (SPD) used excessive and indiscriminate force to suppress peaceful racial justice protests in 2020 while allowing far-right “Stop the Steal” rallies to proceed without interference—even when far-right protesters engaged in violence. The Court previously denied the City’s motion for summary judgment, paving the way for the case to proceed to trial. 

During the trial, the plaintiffs will advocate for a court order preventing SPD from using so-called “less lethal” weapons and chemical agents indiscriminately against individuals lawfully exercising their First Amendment rights. Plaintiffs also will seek policy changes that safeguard First Amendment rights, including clear, enforceable requirements for SPD’s response to public assemblies that limit the use of dispersal orders and prohibit suppression of protests based on the views expressed. 

“This case is about more than just compensation—it’s about advocating for lasting systemic change,” said Marissa Hatton, Senior Staff Attorney at Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area. “We are committed to achieving enforceable changes to SPD’s practices to protect people’s right to protest in the state capital, especially under the Trump administration.” 

Plaintiffs are represented by Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, Disability Law United, and Siegel Yee Brunner and Mehta. 

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