It was two years ago in April when Hawks swingman Thabo Sefolosha had a run-in with the New York Police Department. That night, then NBA player Chris Copeland was stabbed outside a Chelsea nightclub, and Sefolosha and then Hawk Pero Antic tried to get to Copeland, a player they knew. Sefolosha was arrested for misdemeanor obstructing government administration, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest — but in the process of the arrest suffered a broken fibula that kept him out of the playoffs that season.
It got attention because of the relative celebrity names involved, New York prosecutor wouldn’t drop the charges (it would have pissed off the NYPD if he did), and Sefolosha wouldn’t take a “let’s just make this go away” plea deal. Sefolosha fought the charges in court and won. Then he filed a civil suit charging of unlawful force, unlawful arrest and malicious prosecution.
The two sides have now reached a settlement, reports TMZ.Atlanta Hawks player Thabo Sefolosha has struck a settlement with the 5 NYPD officers involved in his violent 2015 arrest outside of an NYC nightclub ... TMZ Sports has learned.
The terms of the settlement are confidential. A judge has officially dismissed the lawsuit as a result of the settlement.
We spoke with Thabo’s attorney Alex Spiro who tells us, “We are glad this matter is resolved.”
Antic’s similar lawsuit is still pending.
Good on Sefolosha for not just taking the easy way out when he knew he was in the right. He doesn’t need the money, he has said this was a matter of principle, and while we don’t know what he got in the settlement it was enough to make him happy.
