City attorney recommends $90M settlement tied to disgraced former Chicago police Sgt. Ronald Watts

CHICAGO (WLS) -- On Thursday, the city of Chicago's lead attorney made a rare public comment about what could be an historic settlement with 180 men and women for cases brought against them by a crooked cop.

Chicago's Corporation Counsel made the case to the public. On Monday, Mary Richardson-Lowry will recommend the city settle 176 federal civil rights cases for $90 million.

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Richardson-Lowry held a news conference to talk about "a historic global settlement."

"What I thought was the fiscally responsible thing to do we need to stop the flow of fund outs with respect to these officers," Richardson-Lowry said.

All the cases are connected to disgraced former Chicago Police Sergeant Ronald Watts and his tactical team who was investigated by the FBI Watts pleaded guilty to extortion.

Previously, Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx vacated most of the cases associated with Watts. On Thursday, Richardson-Lowry said most of the 180 individuals involved in the global settlement case have already received certificates of innocence.

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"I think it's unprecedented obviously the city has reached settlements in any number of cases often group settlements but a hundred plus all relating to one officer I'm sure that's the first time that's happened," ABC7 Chief Legal Analyst Gil Soffer said.

Richardson-Lowry said $25 million has been spent on private attorneys to represent the city on Watts cases in federal court, and had the city continued to fight the civil rights cases the projected cost up to $500 million.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson shared an statement saying, "It's a historic moment that reflects our commitment to accountability and healing."

Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling said "The cases involved in this settlement do not represent the Chicago Police Department of today."

Alderman Nick Sposato, who has been critical of police misconduct settlements in the past, says he was briefed last Friday on this settlement and he will support it to save the city money.

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"Hopefully this leads to Burge and Guevara and we are done with these three knuckleheads and we can move forward and not have these major pay outs," Ald. Sposato said.

Richardson-Lowry added her team is also looking at cases like those related to former police Commander Jon Burge and former Detective Reynaldo Guevara.

The city's finance committee considers the settlement on Monday and it could go before full City Council September 25.

Civil rights law firm Loevy + Loevy and the Law Office of Kenneth Flaxman, who represent the exonerated plaintiffs, issued the following joint statement Thursday afternoon:
"After nearly a decade of litigation, we are happy that the parties were able to work together to reach a resolution to this dark chapter in the City's history. This was the responsible thing to do and is ultimately a fair result for all parties."