Portland to Pepper-Sprayed Protester: You Owe Us $7K

The city of Portland, Ore., is trying to claw back $7,116 from an Occupy protester one of its police officers pepper-sprayed in the mouth. Elizabeth Nichols sued the city for excessive force, claiming that she suffered excruciating pain in her eyes and throat after the incident, along with nightmares and depression. But the jury sided against her and the city is now trying to recoup the cost of defending the case, reports the Oregonian.

A city attorney says he decided he didn't need to "drag this money out of her " and offered to drop the pursuit of costs if Nichols dropped an appeal, but she declined. Nichols, a college student who also works as a janitor, has yet to pay a penny toward the costs and interest is accumulating, reports the New York Daily News. (More Portland stories.)