Pepper-spray settlement costs University of California system about $1 million

From The Sacramento Bee: The University of California regents have agreed to pay out roughly $1 million to end a lawsuit over last November's pepper spraying of UC-Davis students, part of a deal that also calls for a personal written apology from Chancellor Linda Katehi to each person hit with the spray. The details of the settlement, approved earlier this month by the regents, are contained in documents filed in federal court in Sacramento. The settlement calls for each of the 21 plaintiffs to receive $30,000 for a total payout of $630,000. The agreement also transforms the suit into a class action, which will enable others who were hit with pepper spray during the Nov. 18 protest to submit claims for payments of up to $20,000.

EARLIER....From The Sacramento Bee: The University of California regents have approved a settlement that provides financial compensation to 21 students and former students hit by pepper spray last year on the UC Davis campus. The Nov. 18 incident sparked outrage after videos of campus police officers pepper-spraying students seated on the campus quad went viral on the Internet. The two officers identified as using the pepper spray no longer work for the department. In addition, Police Chief Annette Spicuzza retired in April after an independent panel issued a report critical of her management of the incident.