Over $9M approved by City of Buffalo for legal settlements

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Over $9 million in taxpayer money was approved Wednesday to settle three significant lawsuits against the City of Buffalo.

The first is a $500,000 settlement going to Jyirah Bailey, who in 2020 was driving on Main Street when she was struck and severely injured in a crash involving Buffalo police officer Brandon Lowe.

Lowe was traveling over 80 miles per hour going to a domestic call that turned out to be false. Chelsea Ellis was also injured -- she was paralyzed and awarded a $43 million settlement.

City lawmakers also approved $8.6 million to Darryl Boyd and John Walker Jr., two members of the "Buffalo Five," who were convicted in the 1976 murder of a man on the city's East Side.

There was no physical or forensic evidence linking them to the case. Years later, witness testimony was recanted and claims were made that police didn't share information crucial to the murder. Charges were eventually dismissed.

"As a municipality, we are open to exposure and these are a lot of funds that the City of Buffalo has to shell out for various claims and some are very justified and warranted, but when we're in tough fiscal times, I want it to be known that we also face very significant claims against the City of Buffalo," said Buffalo Common Council Member Mitch Nowakowski.

While lawmakers are concerned that the city is frequently sued, they said the payments will be made.

"The city continues to run into problems with these large settlements and in some cases, they relate to some questionable police misconduct and those are things that we talked a great deal about that we're concerned about. We know that this is a challenge throughout our country," said Buffalo Common Council Member Rasheed Wyatt. "I know the city is going to find that money, I don't know exactly where it is, they didn't tell us, but there are some areas they may have it, but again, these are real issues for us, as we look at the deficit, the looming deficit that's coming forth and we have to pay these things these are obligations that we must pay."