Council approves $500,000 settlement in passenger slip-and-fall case and directs litigation over DOJ training grant terms

Following closed session, the city attorney reported two reportable actions taken in closed session.

First, the council approved a settlement in Anthony J. Stone v. City, a personal‑injury claim alleging a Big Blue bus passenger fell while attempting to board. The city denied liability and approved a settlement in the amount of $500,000; the settlement releases all claims against the city and was approved in a recorded vote of 7–0.

Second, the council directed legal staff, by a vote of 7–0, to initiate litigation challenging the terms of a U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services grant awarded to the Santa Monica Police Department in October 2025 to implement de‑escalation and crisis‑response training. The city attorney read the amount as presented in the transcript, but the figure in the record was unclear as read aloud (the transcript records the amount as "4,400 thousand $876 $876,000"). The city attorney said defendants and related case style will be disclosed in accordance with Government Code procedures when the action is formally commenced.

No council discussion or votes on these items were taken in public; both actions were reported out as required under the Brown Act.