City of Cedar Rapids pays $50,000 to settle one of two lawsuits over police K9 attacks
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - The Cedar Rapids City Council this week approved a $50,000 payment to settle a lawsuit from a man who claims he was attacked by a Cedar Rapids Police K9.
Howard Cones filed the lawsuit in June 2020, claiming the police K9 attacked him as he was sleeping on a bench in Poet’s Park in June 2018. The lawsuit claims the dog was doing a training exercise at the time but instead found Cones and “viciously attacked him and bit him multiple times resulting in serious injury and blood loss”.
The lawsuit argues the city and police officers were negligent in the training and handling of the K9. It names the city and Officers Amy Schuman and Clint Fangmann.
The City Council item approved on Tuesday notes that Cross has signed a Release and Indemnity Agreement in exchange for the $50,000 payment from the city.
A second lawsuit is still pending against the city over a separate biting incident involving a CRPD K9. That lawsuit claims the K9 bit a 13-year-old Black boy without being ordered to do so, claiming excessive use of force and racial discrimination by police.
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