DENVER– The Denver City Council approved a settlement of $500,000 for an excessive force and malicious prosecution case against Denver police on Monday.

The payout was approved for the lawsuit filed by Kristyn Stonskas and Quennel Steele against the Denver Police Department from an incident that happened on Jan. 26, 2017.

Stonskas and Steele say DPD severely beat them outside of their Denver home, in front of their children. The attorney representing them says there was no legal basis for an arrest, based on body camera footage that was captured by the officers involved.

Attorneys say officers involved caused a torn vertebra in Stonskas’ neck and a collapsed lung, fractured rib and brain injury in Steele.

Steele was charged with interference with police and resisting arrest. He took his case to trial and was found not guilty. Stonkskas was charged with second-degree assault and all her charges were eventually dropped, attorneys say.

Nick Rogers, the president of the Denver police union, sent the following statement Tuesday afternoon:

“After watching the video, I am appalled the city attorney’s office would settle a frivolous lawsuit. Why would the city spend taxpayer dollars when it’s clear the officers did nothing wrong and the other individuals in the video were the aggressors? My concern is the message has now been sent that individuals who are stopped for a routine traffic stop don’t have to comply with the officer’s orders. That could impact officer safety.”