Rock Hill settles Travis Price police lawsuit for $500,000 after 2021 arrest, protests
A federal lawsuit filed by a South Carolina man after a controversial 2021 arrest in Rock Hill that led to days of protests has been dismissed after a settlement of a half-million dollars, according to a judge’s order and the man’s lawyers.
U.S. District Court Judge Terry Wooten issued the order late Tuesday in the South Carolina case filed by Travis Price against Rock Hill city government and former Rock Hill Police Department officer Jonathan Moreno, federal court public records show.
The order states: “The Court having now been advised by counsel for the parties that this case has settled, IT IS ORDERED that this action is hereby dismissed without costs and without prejudice. The dismissal hereunder shall be with prejudice if no action is taken within sixty (60) days from the filing date of this Order. IT IS SO ORDERED.”
In a written statement to The Herald Wednesday afternoon, Price’s lawyers, Justin Bamberg and Christy Fargnoli, confirmed Travis Price settled the case.
Travis Price had no criminal record in 2021 but was charged with hindering police on June 23, 2021 before the charge was dropped days later.
“Travis Price, the Rock Hill man who alleged he was falsely arrested and then defamed by the city of Rock Hill in 2021 has settled his lawsuit with the city for $500,000,” the statement from Bamberg and Fagnoli said.
“Mr. Price is a father of three and a family man whose reputation was unduly impacted following the incident by statements put out by the city of Rock Hill. He was innocent and this settlement will allow him to move forward and continue to work hard to provide for his family. Mr. Price’s motivation for filing a lawsuit was to ensure that no other innocent person has their reputation smeared by a city or police department. We are confident that that message will be delivered loud and clear today.”
Daniel Plyler of Columbia, lawyer for Moreno, said in a statement sent to The Herald the settlement is with the city of Rock Hill and Moreno does not have to pay anything to Price.
“Mr. Moreno is aware that the City of Rock Hill has reached a settlement with Mr. Price,” Plyler said in the statement. “While the result is the dismissal of Mr. Price’s case, the settlement was between the City and Mr. Price and does not include any funds being paid by Mr. Moreno to Mr. Price.”
Arrest caught on video leads to protests
The arrest of Travis Price and his brother, Ricky Price, on June 23, 2021 outside a gas station was caught on video by a member of the public and posted on Facebook. It showed Travis Price being taken to the ground by Moreno, went viral and generated a crowd of protesters outside of the Rock Hill Police Department that night.
Protests over police tactics went on for days and became news across America.
Both Travis Price and his brother are African-American.
After his arrest, police issued a written statement that claimed Travis Price used his body to bump officers and was yelling belligerently.
However, the charges against Travis Price were dropped days later in July 2021 by York County prosecutor Kevin Brackett. Officials released body camera footage at that time. Rock Hill Police Chief Chris Watts said in August 2021 that Moreno was terminated from the department.
Moreno, the officer, was charged in July 2021 by State Law Enforcement Division agents with third-degree assault and battery.
Moreno issued an apology to Travis Price at a news conference in July 2021.
Moreno was found not guilty of the assault and battery charge in a trial in York County magistrate court in early 2022.
The federal lawsuit
In July 2021, Travis Price and his lawyer, Justin Bamberg, filed a lawsuit against the city and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman that alleged statements made about the arrest by city officials and posted by Norman on Facebook were false and defamatory.
Norman was later dismissed from the lawsuit as a defendant, and the original lawsuit was dismissed in February, court records show. Price filed a second lawsuit against the city of Rock Hill and Moreno days later in February over the city’s statement and alleged civil rights violations that has now been dismissed.
Price and his lawyers again alleged in the lawsuit the city’s statement about Travis Price’s actions in June 2021 were false.
In public record answers to the lawsuit filed in federal court earlier this year, both the city of of Rock Hill and Moreno denied the lawsuit allegations, court documents show.
Efforts to reach Rock Hill city officials, and lawyers who represented the city in the federal lawsuit, for comment on the settlement were unsuccessful Wednesday.
Check back for updates on this breaking story.
This story was originally published November 1, 2023 at 2:42 PM.
