City to pay woman bitten by police dog

Kevin Clerici kclerici@VenturaCountyStar.com
Ventura County

The city of Ventura has agreed to pay $57,000 to a homeless woman who was bitten repeatedly by a police dog in 2004.

Tammy Hensley was in the Ventura River bottom when police released the dog during a search for a fleeing felon, and the canine mistakenly attacked her.

The City Council agreed this week to the settlement, avoiding trial.

"The client and her family are satisfied," Hensley's Ventura attorney, Ron Bamieh, said.

Hensley, 46, and her attorney had sought a trial after initial settlement negotiations eroded when, Bamieh contends, city officials took the position that an injured homeless person should not receive as much money as other citizens would.

"Their initial offer was ridiculous," the attorney reiterated this week, adding that the settlement could have cost the city fewer tax dollars had it treated his client fairly. "Their offer forced us to try to take this to trial."

Assistant City Attorney Chris Norman said Hensley's lack of housing played no role in settlement talks, and the attorney tried to pump the case in the media to paint the city in a poor light.

"It's a fair settlement, and this case is behind us," Norman said.

There has been only one other claim in the past 20 years involving a Ventura police dog, and it was settled for roughly $10,000, human resources officials said.

Hensley, who has psychological problems, was bitten numerous times, received a broken leg and has permanent scarring because of the attack, Bamieh said. She is now living in a care facility.

"She is receiving treatment to help her become independent," her attorney said. Hensley's family lives in Oxnard and Port Hueneme.

Hensley was bitten on the morning of Aug. 16, 2004, as police were trying to apprehend a parolee believed to be hiding in dense brush in the Ventura River bed near Highway 33 and Stanley Avenue, according to court documents.

The river bottom area has been a haven for homeless and mentally ill people and the site of illegal tent encampments since World War I. Because of the dangers, police rarely enter alone. On this day, according to reports, police dog Oscar was released and bit Hensley, not the fleeing parolee