PHOENIX — Phoenix plans to settle a federal lawsuit filed by a woman wrongfully convicted after officials failed to disclose her arresting officer’s history of lying.
The terms of the settlement with Frances Salazar are not yet public.
ABC15 learned the amount is high enough to require public approval from the city council, which will vote on the settlement in the coming weeks.
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“It’s going through the process--and that just takes some time,” a city spokesperson wrote in an email response. “While it didn’t make the agenda for (this week’s) Council meeting, it’s expected to be on the agenda soon.”
ABC15 has extensively covered Salazar’s case and Officer Anthony Armour, who arrested her.
Salazar was wrongfully convicted in August 2016 and spent nearly two years in prison because evidence of her Armour’s history of dishonesty was never disclosed before trial.
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The settlement comes after a federal judge ruled that Armour would not be protected by qualified immunity and that Phoenix failed to train officers about basic constitutional requirements.
Phoenix appealed that ruling and the case was heard before the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in November.
A ruling hasn’t been issued on the appeal.
Contact ABC15 Chief Investigator Dave Biscobing at Dave@ABC15.com.
