PROVIDENCE – The former head of Providence’s civilian-led police oversight board has reached a $45,000 settlement with the city after his firing in 2020.

José Batista, who was fired from his post as executive director of the Providence External Review Authority after releasing video footage of former Providence Police Sgt. Joseph Hanley allegedly assaulting Rishod Gore, sued the City and the PERA board in U.S. District Court. Batista accused the city of terminating him wrongfully in retaliation.

Background on the incident

The 2020 Hanley incident was captured on video by a bystander and a police body camera. Hanley was found guilty of simple assault in District Court and has since appealed to Superior Court. In March, a judge declared a mistrial in the case after the jury became deadlocked. Hanley is now awaiting retrial.

The PERA board voted not to make the tapes of the Hanley-Gore encounter public, but Batista released them to The Providence Journal and other news outlets, and was dismissed from the post.

Batista, who is now a Democratic state representative, alleged in his lawsuit that he was wrongfully fired for exercising his free-speech rights and that the move was in violation of the Rhode Island Whistleblowers’ Protection Act,” among other claims.

In a statement at the time, Batista’s lawyer, former state Sen. William Conley, alleged that Batista wasn’t fired for his release of the video, but “because he refused to break the law to help the city minimize the Sgt. Hanley and Jhamal Gonsalves incidents.”

Jhamal Gonsalves, then 25, was left comatose and disabled after a 2020 motor-scooter crash following a police pursuit.

Gonsalves sued then-Providence Police Chief Col. Hugh T. Clements Jr., Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré, the city and two officers – Kyle Endres and Brad McParlin. He reached an $11-million settlement with the City late last year.

Josh Estrella, spokesman for the city, said Friday that the city made an offer and Batista accepted. Batista could not be reached for comment immediately Friday.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Fired head of Providence police oversight board reaches a settlement with city