Clackamas Sheriff’s Reach 45K Settlement, In Racial Profiling Case

OREGON CITY, Ore–Clackamas County has agreed to a $45,000 settlement in a lawsuit brought by Ka’Mar Benbo and his mother stemming from an August 2019 incident in which the family alleged a sheriff’s deputy pressed his knee onto Ka’Mar’s neck. Ka’Mar is Black and was 12 years old at the time.

Clackamas County notified the court of the settlement on Dec. 9th.  The agreement does not include any statement about the facts of the 2019 incident, and stipulates that the county does not admit any wrongdoing or liability.

Clackamas County Sheriff Angela Brandenburg released a statement on Wednesday in which she said the settlement agreement was “in the best interest of all parties,” and added that her office stands by the actions of the deputies. “No deputy placed a knee on Ka’Mar Benbo’s neck,” she said. “We do not train deputies to restrict a person’s airway or impede their ability to breathe. I will continue to ensure that my deputies are properly trained and that all uses of force are reviewed to ensure they are within policy.”

 

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