The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has affirmed the validity of a historic settlement that Selendy Gay – in partnership with the New York Attorney General’s Office, New York Civil Liberties Union, and Legal Aid Society – reached on behalf of 11 protesters and journalists wrongfully arrested and beaten at the protests that occurred throughout New York City following the death of George Floyd.
On March 19, 2025, a panel of judges rejected the Police Benevolent Association’s objection to the settlement, which emerged from a case challenging the New York Police Department’s violent response to the protests arising from Floyd’s 2022 murder. This decision upholds the district court’s approval of the settlement and allows it to proceed to implementation.
The settlement mandates the adoption of certain policies and procedures regarding the policing of protests or demonstrations at which individuals are expressing their rights under the First Amendment. It was approved by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in February 2024, after Corey Stoughton, Special Counsel at Selendy Gay successfully argued in opposition to a motion by the PBA to oppose its entry.
The Selendy Gay team also includes associate Adam Gould and former associate Katie Buoymaster.
