City settles lawsuit in crash involving officer for $875,000

LANSING (AP) — The city of Lansing has agreed to settle a second lawsuit connected to a 2009 crash involving a Lansing police officer.

The Lansing State Journal reports the $875,000 settlement with Jason Giffen brings the total to be paid by the city to nearly $1.9 million, with a third lawsuit pending.
The latest settlement was approved last Wednesday in Ingham County Circuit Court.

Details of the settlement were revealed during discussions about the agreement before Brian Bez, Giffen’s attorney, requested Judge James Jamo make them confidential, barring city officials, Giffen and his mother, Linda Giffen, from discussing the settlement.

The city previously reached a $1 million settlement in 2013 with Christopher Morofsky, who along with his brother and Giffen were in a car struck by the officer’s car.