LEXINGTON, Ky. — Louisville quietly settled a lawsuit filed by an Elizabethtown attorney for $175,000 in December after he alleged he was assaulted and unlawfully arrested during a 2019 traffic stop on the Watterson Expressway, according to a report by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting.

Douglas Miller, who has practiced law for more than 45 years, was pulled over in April 2019 for speeding and suspected drunk driving. Police body camera footage shows officers pinned him to the ground, with one officer grabbing him by the throat as Miller cried out in pain. "You're killing me. I'm already down," Miller said in the video. "Oh, please stop."

The incident gained national attention when included in the U.S. Department of Justice's 2023 investigation of Louisville police conduct, which found the department engaged in unconstitutional policing practices including excessive use of force and illegal searches. Federal investigators specifically cited Miller's arrest as a "banner example" of officers using dangerous neck restraints against people who posed no threat.

According to the settlement agreement, Louisville denied any liability. Both officers involved were cleared in an internal investigation. However, Officer Mark Batson, the arresting officer, later told a commanding officer he had kneed Miller and struck him with his closed fist.

Miller pleaded guilty only to speeding. Charges of DUI, resisting arrest and criminal mischief were dismissed in 2023. A breath test at the jail showed Miller's blood alcohol level at .064, below Kentucky's legal limit of .08.

Peter Lay, one of Miller's attorneys, said the settlement represents vindication. "We're pleased with the resolution. It was a long fight. I hope it brings some recognition to the Department of Justice finding that this was a banner example of excessive use of force by the Louisville Metro Police Department."

A federal judge dismissed the DOJ's consent decree in January under the Trump administration, ending court-mandated oversight of police reforms. However, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the city would implement its own reform plan called "Community Commitment" with independent monitoring to ensure changes are made.

The Miller settlement is one of several cases where plaintiffs cited in the DOJ report have settled with the city. In 2024, Louisville paid $70,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit filed by Marlo Brown, who alleged officers threatened to call in a police dog if he did not consent to a search during a traffic stop.