[El Gato]

The city's law department on Monday defended the NYPD's actions, but said it agreed to the settlement because the city could not predict how a jury might rule.

I'm pretty sure that it's well established law, right up to the Suprme Court, that the police have no obligation to protect any individual.

I suppose there might have been some traction in a theory that if they tried to protect someone, and botched it, then they could be held liable. Alternately, and because of what Sharpton is this is IMHO more likely, he could allege dicrimination on the basis of race, argueing that they didn't protect him as well as they should have because he's black..he his you know. :)However that would then become a federal civil rights case, not an "ordinary" civil suit.

[MindBender26]

the police have no obligation to protect any individual.

I thought that was well-settled law as well.

[Kenton]

I'm pretty sure that it's well established law, right up to the Suprme Court, that the police have no obligation to protect any individual.

Yup, you're correct on that one. However, it doesn't sound like that matters when the city caves in to financial blackmail and settles.