City officials want judge to force Susan Hunt to take $900k settlement in son's death


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SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs officials want a federal court to force Susan Hunt to take a $900,000 settlement offer that she rejected last month.

The city claims in its motion filed in federal court last month that a settlement was already agreed to by all parties and that it should be enforced, and that Hunt broke terms of that agreement by holding a press conference denouncing it.

Hunt's son, Darrien Hunt, 22, was shot and killed following a confrontation with two Saratoga Springs police officers in September of 2014. Hunt, who was carrying a 3-foot souvenir katana sword, was shot him six times in the back, most of the shots hitting him as he fled from officers.

The Utah County Attorney's Office determined the officers were legally justified. In January, the Hunt family filed a $2 million civil rights lawsuit against Saratoga Springs and the two officers who shot him, calling the officers' use of deadly force unlawful and excessive.

On the one-year anniversary of Hunt's death last month, Susan Hunt announced that she had declined the city's $900,000 settlement offer. She said the money wasn't what was important to her, but rather an admission from police that the shooting was brutal, unnecessary and that her son did nothing wrong.

"It has nothing do with (money), it has to do with clearing his name, and with truth and justice," she said.

The Hunt family fired their original attorney, Robert Sykes, after he advised them to accept the settlement. Their new attorney is Paul Lydolph.

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But in a motion filed late last month, attorneys for Saratoga Springs argue that a settlement was agreed upon on Aug. 7. Press releases announcing the settlement were ready to be sent Aug. 18 and a check was delivered to Hunt's attorney on Aug. 21.

That was the last the city heard from Susan Hunt until she held a press conference Sept. 10 announcing she was rejecting the offer, according to its motion filed in federal court.

"Despite Ms. Hunt's change of course, the court should enforce the settlement agreement," according to the motion, which also asks the court to order Hunt to reimburse the city's attorney fees.

"Ms. Hunt defied the confidentiality provision of the settlement agreement by telling the press that she had not agreed to the settlement and that defendants were paying 'hush money' and implementing a 'gag order.' Not only has this smeared defendants in the media, it has needlessly prolonged this litigation and caused defendants to incur additional costs," attorneys for the city wrote.

The city argues that the settlement with Hunt had been reached and the emails between Sykes and the city's attorneys made it binding.

A hearing is expected to be held in the future in federal court regarding the motion.

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Pat Reavy

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