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(Image source: The Davis Enterprise / Wayne Tilcock)
BY MATT MORENO
The U.C. Davis police officer who was seen pepper spraying student protesters in a viral
video has been given $38,000 from the school.
Lt. John Pike was awarded $38,000 in workers' compensation for "psychiatric damage." He
says he was bombarded with more than 17,000 threatening emails; 10,000 angry text messages;
and hundreds of letters. (Via Al Jazeera)
The Davis Enterprise says Pike reportedly suffered from depression and anxiety from
the incident.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports Pike was making more than $119,000 the year of the
incident. But after the video went viral, "Pike repeatedly changed his phone number
and e-mail address and lived in various locations. He left the campus police force in July 2012."
The 2011 video shows the U.C. Davis campus police attempting to remove students from
an area on campus. The students were protesting tuition hikes at the school.
"After disobeying police orders to remove their tents from campus, the 'Occupy UC Davis'
protesters linked arms. ... Then, a university police officer wielding a can of pepper spray
orders the protesters to disperse." (Via ABC)
After none of the protesters moved, Pike sprayed them with orange-colored pepper spray at close
range. (Via YouTube / asucd)
A spokesperson from the university said in a statement: "This case has been resolved
in accordance with state law and processes on workers' compensation. The final resolution
is in line with permanent impairment as calculated by the state's disability evaluation unit."
(Via Los Angeles Times)
The U.C. Davis school system settled a $1 million lawsuit with the pepper-sprayed students
earlier this year, giving the 21 affected students and alumni $30,000 each.