NYC Firefighter Settles Hate Crime Suit For $3.75 Million

A New York City firefighter, critically injured when a colleague hit him with a metal chair during a firehouse fight, has reached a $3.75 million settlement with the city. Robert Walsh testified at his federal lawsuit trial that the attack on New Year’s Eve in 2003 was the culmination of nearly two years of anti-gay slurs. Former firefighter Michael Silvestri pleaded guilty to assault in 2006 and served a year in jail. He told the Staten Island Advance last month that he wishes Walsh “nothing but the best.” [AP]