The Denver City Council has signed off on an $80,000 settlement for Paul Turner, who says a Denver police officer tackled him during an April 2024 pursuit, leaving him with a broken hip. Turner’s court filings describe multiple surgeries and say he now uses a cane and a wheelchair. Council members voted unanimously to approve the payout.
According to the City and County of Denver’s Legistar, Resolution 26-0569 orders an $80,000 payment to Kosloski Law PLLC to fully resolve Paul Turner v. Samuel Powell (Case No. 2024CV034013). The measure appears on the council’s April 27 agenda as a settlement tied to the Denver Police Department.
What Turner says happened
Denverite reports that Turner was a passenger in a reportedly stolen vehicle involved in a police chase in April 2024. The lawsuit claims an officer’s SUV hit that car and triggered a crash, and that Officer Samuel Powell then forcefully handcuffed Turner and tackled him into the street, allegedly breaking his hip. In medical records cited in the filings, Turner is quoted as telling staff, "I can't move my leg." The complaint further contends that Powell failed to ensure Turner received immediate medical attention.
How the city will pay
Councilmember Shontel Lewis has pointed out that settlements like this are paid from a liability claims pool that is regularly refilled from the city’s general fund, a concern that has come up in council discussions. As detailed by Colorado Politics, Lewis has been tracking settlement totals and warning that these recurring payouts add financial strain. City attorneys negotiate the deals, then bring them to the council for a public vote.
The Turner settlement lands on top of a series of expensive police-related payouts. The Citizen Oversight Board, along with local coverage, has noted that Denver spent more than $17 million on police-related settlements last year, while advocates continue to demand more detail on any non‑monetary conditions. Denver7 has highlighted calls from oversight groups for clearer public reporting and stronger tracking of how settlement terms are carried out.
Under Resolution 26-0569, the city will send the $80,000 to Turner’s attorneys to resolve his civil claims against Officer Powell, according to the Legistar record. While city settlements typically do not include any admission of wrongdoing, this case adds to ongoing debates in Denver about police use of force, transparency around misconduct, and the growing cost of resolving such claims.
