Greg Gross, a Northern California man who was paralyzed after he was arrested, handcuffed, and then slammed to the ground and tortured severely for absolutely no reason, won a $20 million settlement earlier this month against multiple defendants. It is one of the largest police brutality settlements in the state’s history, according to officials.

The 65-year-old Army veteran who lives in Yuba City, sued the police department in 2022 after police officers used “pain compliance” techniques and expressed disbelief when he repeatedly cried out, “I can’t feel my legs.” Police officers also dismissed Gross when he said, “I can’t breathe,” while being held facedown on the lawn outside a hospital, video released by Gross’s lawyers shows.

The lawsuit alleged that former Yuba City Police Officer Joshua Jackson was responsible for breaking Gross's neck, leaving him paralyzed after he slammed him to the ground during the traffic stop. It also names fellow officers Scott Hansen and Nathan Livingston, and Yuba City. The lawsuit alleges Hansen assisted in Jackson's repeated brutality and that Livingston failed to intervene.

Yuba City's portion of this settlement amounts to around $17 million while the remaining $3 million will be paid out by other defendants in the lawsuit, including Jackson. However, the city is largely self-insured for these types of liabilities.

Mr. Gross was represented by Attorney Moseley Collins.