Santa Clara Paying $6.7 Million To Woman Injured In Police Confrontation
SANTA CLARA (AP) -- A San Jose woman will receive a $6.7 million settlement from the city of Santa Clara after her leg was broken trying to prevent police officers from entering her home without a warrant to arrest her teenage daughter.
The Santa Clara City Council approved the payment to settle a lawsuit filed by Danielle Burfine, who was injured at her home last year.
Video of the incident released by Burfine's attorney was obtained by KPIX 5.
Burfine was trying to prevent officers from going into her house when she fell to the ground -- the sides disagree on whether she was thrown -- and her leg hit a stone pillar. Burfine's attorney says she developed a chronic pain condition.
Burfine's daughter was later located upstairs in the home and arrested, and later convicted in the arson.
In an interview with KPIX 5, Santa Clara Police Chief Mike Sellers insisted his officers did nothing wrong.
"I'm extremely disappointed in the city's outside insurance company for settling," Sellers said. "I think the court's decision would have
found that my officers acted in good faith, within policy and within the law."
Sellers also claimed a crucial part of video of the incident released by Burfine's attorney was missing. "It was conveniently stopped right at the point where she admitted that it was an accident," he said.
The department plans to discuss the case at a news conference on Thursday.
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