City Pays $1.4 Million for Posting Gun Permit Appeal Data Online

Two years ago, the city posted a list of Philadelphia citizens who had been denied a gun permit in the state. It eventually took the information down, after outcry from those whose information had been posted. (“I was wrongly accused of being a bartender,” one appeal read.)

Two of those listed sued on behalf of all 3,265 gun permit applicants who had their names and addresses posted on the city website. Last month, they reached a settlement that was announced today: The city is paying $1.4 million to settle the suit.

As part of the settlement (below), the Nutter administration says it still believes the information is not confidential and it had done nothing wrong.

The Inquirer breaks down who’s getting the money:

The 2,188 people whose information was part of the live database on the L&I website will receive about $450 each. The 1,077 people who are part of a separate class in the lawsuit — those whose information was kept in a city database accessible to city employees and contractors but not posted online for the general public — will receive $25 each.

Thirty percent of the $1.4 million will go to attorneys and other fees.

Deducting the $420,000 in fees for lawyers and other things and the $26,925 for the 1,077 people in the city employee-only database would give each of the 2,188 people in the public database $435.591865 each. Let’s call it $435.59.

[Inquirer]