A settlement has been reached between the city of Burlington and three brothers who sued, claiming excessive use-of-force by Burlington police officers.
In September 2018, three brothers were at a downtown Burlington bar when a fight broke out. According to court documents, Jeremie Meli hit his head and lost consciousness after then-Burlington Police Sargent Jason Bellavance pushed him without warning. Meli, who is Black, was charged with simple assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. All charges were eventually dropped against him and his two brothers. A lawsuit was filed in federal court in May 2019.
On Friday, Mayor Miro Weinberger released details of a settlement agreement approved by the city council earlier in the week. The Meli family will receive $750,000, paid through the city’s insurance coverage.
In a joint statement, the Meli’s and the mayor say: “...this incident was an important catalyst for change. At a recent meeting between the Mayor and the Meli’s, the Meli brothers described the harm they experienced and their wish to support positive change, especially involving police interactions with people of color.”
The settlement ends litigation.
