Another multimillion dollar tab tied to police misconduct is headed for City Hall next week, as Chicago aldermen prepare to consider roughly $16.5 million in new settlements. On the line are payouts stemming from a Burge‑era wrongful conviction claim, a fatal high‑speed chase and a major accessibility lawsuit, all landing while the city wrestles with ballooning legal bills over policing and civil rights cases.
The City Council’s Finance Committee is being asked to sign off on three settlement orders: a $13 million payment to Arnold Day, $3.5 million to the family of Jose Almanza‑Martinez and a $2.25 million settlement with disability‑advocacy group Access Living, a package that totals about $16.5 million, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. If the committee approves the deals, they will head to the full City Council for a final vote.
Burge‑Era Case At The Center
At the heart of the package is the proposed $13 million settlement for Arnold Day, who spent 26 years in prison after a conviction tied to confessions he says were beaten out of him by detectives trained under former Area 2 Commander Jon Burge. In his lawsuit, Day alleges he was choked and beaten until he falsely confessed, according to WTTW News. A judge later vacated his conviction and prosecutors declined to retry the case, setting the stage for the hefty settlement recommendation from city lawyers.
Vendor Killed In A Little Village Chase
Another proposed payout would send $3.5 million to the family of 67‑year‑old street vendor Jose Almanza‑Martinez, who was struck and killed in 2020 when a vehicle fleeing a police traffic stop slammed into him, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The lawsuit states the pursuit unfolded near 26th Street and Pulaski Road and claims officers failed to properly weigh road conditions and pedestrian risks before initiating the chase. It is the latest in a string of costly settlements tied to police pursuits in the city.
Accessibility Suit Included
The third settlement proposal would resolve a long‑running federal lawsuit filed by Access Living in 2018, which challenges Chicago’s affordable‑housing program for allegedly failing to ensure units are adequately accessible to people with disabilities. Court docket summaries and case materials reviewed by the Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse show the complaint raises claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act and related federal laws. Negotiators have recommended a $2.25 million payment to settle the case, which disability advocates say highlights systemic access gaps in city‑funded or city‑supported housing.
What It Costs The City
Chicago had already spent at least $175.6 million on police‑related cases in the first four months of the year, and Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget set aside $82.5 million specifically for police‑related settlements, according to an analysis by WTTW News. Officials and alderpeople have warned that settlements and judgments are likely to blow past the money reserved, potentially forcing budget shifts or borrowing. The rising costs are fueling renewed questions about accountability, policy reforms and the city’s broader legal strategy around police misconduct.
How The Approvals Work
Under City Council rules, settlement orders typically move first through the Finance Committee, which hears presentations from the Corporation Counsel’s office and then decides whether to recommend approval. The committee’s monthly Rule 45 reports detail how each settlement item is introduced and explained, according to the City Clerk. If the committee advances the police‑related settlements, they are expected to appear on the council calendar later in the week for final action. Observers say next week’s hearing will test how the council juggles mounting fiscal pressure with persistent demands for accountability.
The Finance Committee is expected to take up the items next week, and it is not yet clear whether alderpeople will sign off on the package as proposed. Whatever the outcome, the three deals would mark yet another costly chapter in Chicago’s long, expensive history of litigation tied to police conduct.
