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GREENSBORO - The city reached a settlement Friday in a 2-year-old lawsuit filed by a former deputy police chief regarding the withholding of his retirement pay.

Randall Brady , 53, who served as the right-hand man for former Police Chief David Wray as commander of the Special Intelligence section, will receive $58,824 in a settlement finalized in federal court on Friday.

That figure constitutes the amount the city would have paid Brady in Special Separations Allowances since his retirement in December 2005. Brady will receive $34,631 after taxes.

Brady will also receive nearly $2,000 per month in retirement benefits through his 62nd birthday and $25,000 for legal fees accrued over the past two years.

Upon his departure, the city denied Brady his retirement pay based on an inquiry into the police department's policies and practices during the Wray administration according to city documents. The inquiry left open the possibility he would have been fired if he had not retired.

That inquiry involved the existence of the "black book," which City Manager Mitchell Johnson said Brady confirmed during a lie-detector test with private consultants and then retrieved from the trunk of his car.

The book, which Wray said was used in the investigation of a prostitute who accused an officer of sexual assault, contained photo arrays of 114 African American men, including at least 19 city police officers.

The interrogation came as consultants reviewed the Wray administration's lengthy investigation of police Lt. James Hinson and other officers.

Upon filing the lawsuit in February 2006, Brady's lawyer, Seth Cohen , noted that his client was ordered by Wray to "secure" the book and had no idea Johnson was looking for it. He said his client was penalized for following orders.

"He did absolutely nothing wrong," Cohen said Friday afternoon. "Randall Brady was a loyal police officer for 30 years, and it was wrong to deny him his retirement pay."

A judge ruled in Brady's favor in February 2007, but the city filed a motion to reconsider, which was left pending for over a year.

Cohen said Brady was pleased with the settlement.

"It's just a shame it took two years to get it," Cohen said. "We're very thankful the current City Council decided to do the right thing."

City Council members reached Friday said they were looking forward to putting the matter behind them.

"Closure is very important on many of these issues that arose a couple of years ago (regarding the police department)," said Councilman Mike Barber.

"It's even more important that the city take a new direction with regard to police, public safety and the vision for our city."

Councilwoman Sandra Anderson Groat had no comment on the settlement. Councilman Robbie Perkins said simply "it's time to move on."

Johnson said that because the settlement was agreed to by council, it would be inappropriate for him to comment.

The suit was the first of five lawsuits filed regarding the Wray administration and the first to be resolved. Of those, four are against the city, and another is against The Rhinoceros Times.

Staff Writer Sonja Elmquist contributed to this report.

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals @news-record.com