City Council Awards $50K to Buckhead Bar Patron Who Says APD Officer Beat Him

Members of the Atlanta City Council have agreed to pay $50,000 to a Buckhead bar patron who says he was beaten by a police officer.

The patron, Chris Putnam, has moved to New York since the incident happened in 2008.

Putnam said his case has been tied up in courts for years.

According to a report from WSB-TV, Putnam was removed from Red Door Tavern on Roswell Road for being too loud.

An officer, only named as Bradley, was providing security at the bar at the time.

According to the complaint filed by Putnam’s attorney Jim Ford, Putnam implied that Bradley was a “rent-a-cop” and not a “real” police officer and Bradley subsequently beat Putnam with his baton.

Putnam admits that he was intoxicated at the time.

Bradley accused Putnam of attempting to beat him with his fists, according to the WSB-TV report. Bradley has since been fired from the Atlanta Police Department for unrelated misconduct allegations.

However, Ford said Putnam never physically threatened Bradley.

WSB-TV said the city has settled 67 other cases in the last year filed against APD, which amounts to $1.7 million in taxpayer dollars.

The settlement will stand if Mayor Kasim Reed lets it take effect. He can also veto the city council’s decision.