The city of Cincinnati will set up a nonprofit organization to receive the $600,000 city officials hope to raise to pay off plaintiffs' lawyers in the racial profiling lawsuit.

        An unwritten agreement among the parties to the lawsuit — the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and the Black United Front as plaintiffs and the city and the Fraternal Order of Police as defendants — required city officials to help pay the attor ney's fees for the plaintiffs.

        Because City Council balked at using taxpayer money to pay lawyers for groups boycotting the city, the fund-raising task has fallen to Mayor Charlie Luken, Vice Mayor Alicia Reece and other council members involved in the negotiations.

        Brooke Hill, a former cam paign adviser for Mr. Luken and spokeswoman for court-appointed mediator Jay Rothman, has been coordinating the fund-raising effort out of the mayor's office.

        As of last Friday, Ms. Hill said the “Friends of the Collaborative” had raised $200,000. She said she did not have more up-to-date fig ures on Monday.

        It's also not clear who's giving this money. With the exception of former mayor Jerry Springer, who confirmed his $25,000 contribution, city officials said most donors have asked to remain anonymous.

        Councilman David Pepper said they include “business people, corporate leaders and philanthropic types.”

        “They are people who believe in the collaborative, and support the whole endeavor as a solution to the city's problems,” said Mr. Pepper, who has made some of the fund-raising calls.

Police union OKs profiling suit deal
Settlement provisions
Background on issues, settlement
City trying to raise $600,000 for lawyers
Violence part of daily life in Over-the-Rhine
Air security scare delays some flights
Airport security switches to new firm
Hunt goes on for missing Ala. man
PULFER: Thanks, farewell to Monte
RADEL: Cop gets second chance to help kids
Store manager shot dead in robbery
Suspect indicted on eight rape counts
Two students cited for volunteering
City seeking $1M for cement site
Doctor to head learning program
Drug prevention conference expected to draw 4,000 youths
Good News: Surgery gives man new role
Holocaust lesson for students
Lessons in paper-folding introduce children to Asian arts
Local Digest
Trees preserved for centuries
Trial opens in abuse case
Charged man suspected in heist
City center planners off to Denver
Kids study Deerfield sprawl
Lebanon to propose new phone rates
Butler-Warren recreation notes
Second-grader has best penmanship in state
Victim's children sue detective
Nine Cleveland priests suspended on sex abuse allegations
Traficant fate in jury's hands
Unmarked graves at building site baffle Frankfort