Anatomy of a settlement

A very interesting article in the Morning Call about the Hirko settlement. It could have been a $30 million or even a $100 million award (which would have really damaged the city). This article shows how the two sides worked together and is a very interesting look behind the scenes.

Callahan told Hirko family lawyer John Karoly Jr. that the city was willing to make police reforms part of the settlement, that the city had gotten the message that the police force needed reforms….

It was something Karoly and his clients had been waiting to hear for seven years — that city officials recognized police had erred during the disastrous raid.

Without that new direction in the settlement talks– and without the willingness of Karoly’s side to compromise financially — the case might not have been settled last week.

The Morning Call has been outstanding in its coverage of the Hirko case. Here’s the archive of their articles.