City of Reno to settle excessive force lawsuit

RENO — The city of Reno has agreed to pay nearly $23,000 to settle an excessive force lawsuit against an officer accused of assaulting a man during a traffic stop.

The Reno Gazette-Journal reports the city is paying Justin Fleming $10,000, and $13,000 is going to his attorneys. Reno Attorney Karl Hall says the city doesn’t admit wrongdoing in settling the case.

Fleming says Officer Terry West became angry during a March traffic stop and shouted profanities at him, grabbed him by the neck and bent him over a freeway overpass railing. Photos from a Nevada Highway Patrol investigation show Fleming with bruises on his neck.

A Washoe County Sheriff’s Office investigation had cleared West of wrongdoing.

West had said Fleming refused to sign the traffic ticket and was verbally combative.