John W. Day of Santa Fe, one of two attorneys who represented Martinez, revealed the terms of the settlement in an email to The News.
The city did not make an admission of liability, he said. The city’s insurer covered the $350,000 payout.
“Mr. Martinez is extremely satisfied with the settlement,” Day wrote.
TUCUMCARI — A former police officer’s lawsuit against the City of Tucumcari and two other officers was dismissed by a district judge after a $350,000 settlement.
District Judge David Reeb dismissed the complaint with prejudice, which means it cannot be refiled.
Herman J. Martinez filed the complaint against the city, Tucumcari Police Cpl. Matthew Lopez and officer Santos Saenz, alleging battery, false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious abuse of process, negligent training and supervision and violations of the New Mexico Civil Rights Act from an incident nearly 2 1/2 years ago.
Allison Beaulieu, an attorney for the Jones, Skelton & Hochuli law firm in Albuquerque that represented the defendants, wrote in her motion to dismiss, stating that “all matters in controversy between the parties have been fully and finally compromised and settled.”
