Indiana Town to Pay $170,000 to Settle Beating Lawsuit

The city of Gary, Ind., has agreed to pay $170,000 to settle a federal lawsuit that accused former Police Chief Thomas Houston and two aides of beating four people in 2007.

An attorney for the city tells The Times of Munster that the decision to settle was made to avoid the expense and time involved in disputing the allegations. Shana Levinson says the settlement should not be taken as a negative reflection on the officers involved.

The lawsuit filed two years ago claimed Houston and two others stormed into a Gary home and accused four people of burglarizing the chief’s residence.

Houston was convicted of a civil rights violation and died of cancer in November while serving a 3 1/2-year sentence. The other officers were acquitted on all charges.

Information from: The Times