Lincoln County settles lawsuit for $140,000

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Lincoln County will pay $140,000 to settle a lawsuit with a Newport man who was banned from county property.

As part of the settlement, the county also apologized last week to Matthew Zekan, saying he should not have been arrested in 2011 for entering the Planning and Personnel Department.

The Oregonian (https://is.gd/2BZD79 ) reports the lawsuit accused the county of retaliating against Zekan for exercising free speech rights and denying him due process.

Zekan was protesting the county’s decision to place his father on leave. His father was a longtime employee accused of insubordinate conduct.

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Information from: The Oregonian, https://www.oregonlive.com