The infamous police officer who pepper-sprayed a group of UC Davis students at an Occupy Wall Street protest was rewarded with $38,000 -- more than the protesters -- in a settle regarding the incident, MSNBC reported.
Following the Nov. 18, 2011 protest, 40-year-old Lt. John Pike claimed he "reportedly suffered depression and anxiety" due to death threats, according to a report by The Davis Enterprise.
"This case has been resolved in accordance with state law and processes on workers' compensation," a university spokesperson said.
The settlement "resolves all claims of psychiatric injury specific or due to continuous trauma," which was rated as "moderate" by California's Department of Industrial Relations.
Pike, who was suspended with pay after the controversial incident, was making $119,067 at the time though he left the UC Davis police force a year later. After Anonymous posted his personal information online, he claims he had to change his address and phone number several times.
A local police union also said Pike received 17,000 emails, 10,000 text messages, and hundreds of letters, all angry and/or threatening.
Bernie Goldsmith, a Davis-area lawyer supportive of the students, said the settle sends "a clear message to the next officer nervously facing off with a group of passive, unarmed students: Go on ahead. Brutalize them. Trample their rights. You will be well taken care of."
In January, the 21 pepper-sprayed protesters collectively received $1 million from UC Davis, though divided only amounted to about $30,000 each -- around $8,000 less than what Pike received.
During the investigation, officials declared Pike unnecessarily sprayed the students with pepper spray and did so from an unsafe distance. He also ordered a second officer, Alexander Lee, to spray the students as well. Lee was also fired in 2012.
Pike will receive retirement benefits from his 11 years of employment at UC Davis.
