The family of a police shooting victim who filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Celina, Ohio, have reached a settlement in their case.
Local affiliate Action News 19 reports that the victim was fatally shot on April 10, 2013, by a Celina police officer who "was investigating a report that [the man] was improperly displaying a handgun in public." A follow-up investigation revealed that the victim's handgun wasn't loaded at the time of the shooting. Although a grand jury declined to issue an indictment against the officer, the victim's family launched a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, alleging a violation of the man's civil rights. Now, a settlement has been reached in the litigation, awarding the family $800,000 in damages.
"I commend the City of Celina for responding to the family with sensitivity and transparency," the family's attorney said in an official statement. "Our settlement and the reforms underway are good both for the family and the City of Celina."
In the nearly two years since the incident occurred, new Celina police chief Tom Wale has committed to implementing reforms around the department, ranging from the purchase of new body and cruiser cameras to reworked policies on the use of force. As part of the settlement, though, neither the officer in question (who has since left the police force) nor the city admitted to any wrongdoing.
If you have ever lost a loved one and believe another party to be at fault for that tragedy, contact The Meyers Law Firm right away to schedule a meeting with our free consultation lawyers. Our expert attorneys can determine whether you may be entitled to any damages and then fight for your case adeptly in court.