Civil Rights Suit Against Former NYC Detective Settles for $10.5 Million

After 24 years, Shawn Williams was recently released from prison and awarded $10.5 million. The award, one of more than a dozen, is part of a federal civil rights settlement between Mr. Williams and former New York City officials. The city has paid tens of millions of dollars to settle similar civil rights lawsuits connected to a former detective, Louis Scarcella, and two other police officers. In the case of Mr. Williams, Mr. Scarcella told the prosecutor’s witness that “they might turn to her son as a suspect if she did not provide them with one.” The witness was later forced to testify against her will at Mr. Williams’s trial. After nearly 25 years, Mr. Williams is optimistic, saying “I am going to keep rebuilding my life and looking ahead to a brighter future.”