Bryan Carmody awarded $369,000 after unlawful San Francisco police raids

San Francisco supervisors during their Tuesday meeting agreed to award freelance journalist Bryan Carmody $369,000 over unlawful raids by police last year.

The settlement of Bryan Carmody’s unmitigated claim was unanimously approved by supervisors. Carmody’s home and office were raided by San Francisco police last year following the fallout from the investigation into the death of Public Defender Jeff Adachi.

The claim, filed in August 2019, followed a police investigation into the alleged theft of leaked police documents related to Adachi’s death.

Free speech groups criticized the raid, and police later admitted to conducting unlawful searches, leading to an independent investigation into the leaked documents.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin said:

“This was a shame to the city and county of San Francisco. … I hope that we never in this town ever again suppress the rights of the free press.”