Edgewood, through the borough's insurance company, paid boxer Ramont "Monty" Clay $5,000 to settle a police brutality lawsuit.

Braddock, Rankin and Swissvale also paid Clay to settle the suit, but they are trying to keep the amounts secret.

The Post-Gazette contends that the payments are a public record under state law because they were made directly by, or on behalf of, a public entity.

The newspaper has asked each borough the precise amount it paid, but so far only Edgewood has answered.

In all, Clay received about $50,000 to drop his federal lawsuit against the four towns.

Clay claimed 15 to 20 officers approached him on the street the night of Jan. 19, 2002, after shots were fired at a Rankin housing development. He said four or five officers began questioning him, then assaulted him without cause.

He said the officers cuffed him, hit him, grabbed him by his ponytail, shoved snow in his face and used a racial slur.

Clay was not arrested. But he said the confrontation left him with injuries to his head, neck, back and arms that prevented him from competing in the Olympic trials. Clay twice was a state Golden Gloves lightweight champion.

Edgewood's insurance company, St. Paul Insurance, decided to pay Clay a "modest settlement" to dispose of the case. A lawyer for the insurance carrier said only one part-time Edgewood officer was on the scene when Clay was injured, and played no part in the confrontation.

"In spite of our minimal role in the underlying encounter, and in spite of evidence that would seem to clearly vindicate our officer," a payment was made to Clay, insurance lawyer Romel Nicholas wrote in a letter to the borough.

Insurance company lawyers said litigating the case would have cost five to 10 times more than the $5,000 payment Edgewood made to Clay.

Clay, who is about to turn 23, became a professional boxer after his injuries healed. A 5-foot-2, 130-pound lightweight, he is 7-0 as a professional.

Clay declined to discuss terms of the settlement, saying he was bound by secrecy clauses the towns inserted in the agreement.