Story highlights
An officer was caught on videotape beating Marlene Pinnock, a great-grandmother
She reaches a $1.5 million settlement with the California Highway Patrol
The officer involved has resigned as part of the settlement, the agency says
A 51-year-old woman shown in a video being repeatedly punched by a California Highway Patrol officer has reached a $1.5 million settlement with the law enforcement agency, its media relations office said.
The beating suffered by Marlene Pinnock, a great-grandmother, took place in July along the Santa Monica Freeway and was caught on tape by a passing motorist.
Her family then vowed to bring a civil case against the agency.
As a result of the settlement, the officer involved, Daniel L. Andrew, has agreed to resign, the CHP media relations office said.
“When this incident occurred, I promised that I would look into it and vowed a swift resolution. Today, we have worked constructively to reach a settlement agreement that is satisfactory to all parties involved,” said California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joe Farrow in a statement.
The bulk of the settlement will be used to set up a special needs trust for Pinnock “to provide a mechanism for her long term care,” he said.
A police report released a few days after the incident said Pinnock posed a danger to herself and other drivers because she was “walking within traffic lanes” at times and when asked to stop she became “physically combative.” She was placed in a hospital under an involuntary psychiatric hold.
