Infamous Pepper Spray Officer Wins Thousands in Compensation Case

Policeman suffered stress and depression after notorious action

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Brian Nguyen / Reuters

A University of California Davis police officer pepper-sprays students during their sit-in at an "Occupy UCD" demonstration in Davis, California November 18, 2011.

After a video showing police officer John Pike pepper spraying Occupy protestors at the University of California-Davis campus in November 2011 went viral, Pike allegedly received death threats and suffered depression.

The stress was so great that Pike was able to reach a settlement with his former employer for $38,000 in a workers compensation suit this week for the psychological damage he suffered, reports the Guardian.

After the incident occurred, Pike was put on administrative leave and was fired the following year. In the episode’s wake, the university also reportedly shelled out $1m in settlements with protestors that were peppered sprayed during the demonstration.

[Guardian]