San Diego officials have agreed to a nearly $1.5-million payout for two men who spent several months in jail six years ago under a controversial gang conspiracy law. The two men filed a civil-rights lawsuit in federal court three years ago claiming that they were wrongfully incarcerated under the gang law and that San Diego police violated their 1st Amendment free-speech rights. AdvertisementThe crux of their case is a state law, Penal Code 182.5, which local authorities used in 2014 to send dozens of alleged San Diego gang members to jail. Duncan, now 38, and Harvey, now 31, were among 15 alleged gang members arrested in connection with nine shootings in 2013 and 2014. He spent about three weeks in a Las Vegas jail beforedetectives came for him and drove him to San Diego, the lawsuit says.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 06, 2020 00:22 UTC