Santa Fe reaches settlement with couple in SWAT standoff

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The city of Santa Fe has reached a settlement with a couple whose run-in with a city animal control officer turned into an hours-long standoff with a SWAT team after the officer wrongly accused one of the plaintiffs of pulling a knife on him. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports (http://bit.ly/2xYmQkd ) that Stephen Cummings and Heather Sessa will receive $165,000 from the city for the incident that started over a loose dog. Cummings was arrested and charged with aggravated assault upon a peace officer with a deadly weapon after the standoff, but a jury later acquitted him after the officer admitted under oath that he lied about Cummings having a knife. City spokesman Matt Ross says the officer whose false report sparked the standoff is still employed by the city.