PORTSMOUTH, Va. - The City of Portsmouth has settled the lawsuit that State Sen. L. Louise Lucas filed against former Portsmouth Police Chief Angela Greene in regards to the protest at the city's Confederate monument in the summer of 2020.The lawsuit was settled for $300,000.
Interim City Attorney Burle Stromberg confirmed the settlement to News 3 Friday night.
In a letter slamming the settlement, Greene's attorney said Greene was served with the lawsuit on November 22, 2021. The attorney claims the city agreed to pay Lucas without any agreement from Greene, going on to say "the City's handling of the matter is against Risk Management policy."
The protest was at the Confederate monument on High Street on June 10, 2020. A man was seriously injured after a piece of the statue fell on top of him as protesters tore it down.
The senator, along with several others, appeared in court in September 2020 on charges following the protest. The charges against her and other local leaders were dismissed in November of that year.
In April 2021, Greene, who has since been tapped to head the Lexington Police Department, filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city. She was initially put on administrative leave in September 2020.
In a statement, Lucas said she plans to donate the entirety of what she receives in the settlement to "the charitable efforts in our community I have been involved with for so many years."
Lucas's statement can be read in full below:
“I have spent my entire career advocating for constituents in the City of Portsmouth and our neighboring communities. In addition to my service in the Virginia Senate, I have been a leader in charitable efforts in our community, including housing, religious organizations, educational opportunities, homeless issues, assisting with funeral expenses for children in our city who have been victims of gun violence, and paying utility bills for those in need. I am also honored to have the Senator L. Louise Lucas Legacy Fund through the Hampton Roads Community Foundation and was honored as a leading Black Philanthropist in our region.
My lawsuit regarding the actions around the June 10th, 2020 demonstration speaks for itself. I’m pleased the City of Portsmouth has agreed to settle this matter on behalf of former police chief Angela Greene and Sgt. Kevin McGee.
I also understand that any settlement from a locality impacts their ability to fund critical programs in our community. That’s why I am pledging that I will be donating the entirety of what I receive in the settlement to the charitable efforts in our community I have been involved with for so many years.
These funds will be used to help our most vulnerable communities and will help continue the work I have been doing- and will continue to do- to benefit our community. As a State Senator, business leader and leading community philanthropist I have always put people in our community first and will continue to do so."
