Philadelphia Settles "Stop and Frisk" Lawsuit that Claimed Civil Rights of Blacks & Latinos Were Being Violated by Cops

Philadelphia settles "stop and frisk" lawsuit filed by ACLU accusing cops of violating civil rights of blacks and Latinos who had done nothing wrong.

The city of brotherly love, Philadelphia, has reached a settlement over the use of "stop and frisk" by law enforcement to combat violent crime. According to media reports, a court-appointed monitor will oversee the use of "stop and frisk" searches by city police. Authorities will also take steps to ensure the stops are only made when there is reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct. I'd love to know how they plan on making that determination.

The settlement stems from a federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in November alleging that the searches were violating the rights of blacks and Latinos who had done nothing wrong. The ACLU sued on behalf of eight men — including a state lawmaker — it says were subjected to illegal searches since the city started using "stop and frisk," a controversial element of Mayor Michael Nutter's 2007 mayoral campaign.

Read more:  Philadelphia reaches settlement in 'stop and frisk' suit | Google News