Manalapan, New Jersey (April 3, 2007) - Manalapan Township has paid $275,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit filed on behalf of three African American teenagers who said that police officers searched them without justification and berated them while their three white friends were told to go home.

John O'Connor and Marisa Steel of Anderson Kill & Olick, represented the youths pro bono. O'Connor said, "We hope that this settlement will send a message to all towns and police forces that discrimination is not only wrong and illegal, but also very costly. The evidence here indicated discrimination in searching the teenagers, disrespectful treatment of the parents' complaint and then a woefully inadequate investigation undertaken by the Manalapan Police. I'm sure this treatment does not represent the wishes of the people of Manalapan, and we would like to know what the town plans to do to prevent something like this from happening again."Anderson Kill & Olick is committed to protecting civil rights for all Americans, and the firm's litigators are active in pro bono cases throughout the country.For additional information, please contact:John M. O'Connorjoconnor@andersonkill.com(212) 278-1014