The city of Los Angeles has tentatively agreed to pay $500,000 to two Knock LA journalists who claim their constitutional rights were violated when police arrested them while covering a protest four years ago in Echo Park.
Without admitting wrongdoing, the city agreed Monday to settle a lawsuit brought by the reporters, averting a federal civil trial just before jury selection was set to begin. The payout, which still needs approval from the City Council, would cover damages and attorney fees.
Kate McFarlane, an attorney who argued the lawsuit on the pair’s behalf, said the outcome felt somewhat hollow. The Los Angeles Police Department’s treatment of journalists covering recent protests against the Trump administration shows that the department’s culture has not changed despite the liti