By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The City of Huntsville will pay $15,000 to settle a federal lawsuit over the 2021 arrest of Kemontae Hobbs, a mentally ill man who was stomped by police during a struggle at a Mapco gas station.
A U.S. District Court judge approved the settlement last week, calling the terms “fair and reasonable.” An additional $2,772.50 will go to a court-appointed guardian to manage the trust established for Hobbs.
Hobbs was arrested after reportedly panhandling and refusing to leave the store. Officers tased him and wrestled him to the ground, during which an unidentified officer stomped on his leg. Huntsville police later admitted that the officer had violated department policy.
Hobbs, diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and intellectual disability, was committed to a state mental hospital. The charges from the arrest included trespassing and resisting arrest.
Attorney Martin Weinberg, representing Hobbs, called the resolution a relief. “There’s a lot of uncertainty in litigation, but now there’s resolution,” he said.
The settlement releases the city and officers from future liability in the case.