Breonna Taylor settlement is among largest payouts linked to a police shooting
The $12 million settlement with Breonna Taylor’s family is a historic move for Louisville, Kentucky, but across America it’s the latest financial repercussion in a police misconduct case.
More than six months after Taylor was killed inside her apartment as police officers executed a “no-knock” search warrant, the city is poised to pay its highest-ever settlement, a city spokeswoman told CNN.
The city previously paid $8.5 million for the wrongful conviction of Edwin Chandler, who served nine years in prison for a 1993 murder before he was exonerated, CNN affiliate WLKY reported.
Cities across the country have previously reached monetary agreements following high-profile police shootings. Cleveland agreed to pay $6 million to the family of Tamir Rice and New York City agreed to pay Eric Garner‘s family $5.9 million.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has represented the families of several police brutality victims — including George Floyd and Jacob Blake — said he believes Taylor’s settlement is one of the largest amounts ever paid out for a Black woman killed by police in the US.
While it’s unclear where the payout to Taylor’s family stands among all police misconduct lawsuits in the nation, here are other large payments that stemmed from police shootings in recent years:
Justine Ruszczyk
The city of Minneapolis announced a $20 million settlement last year — the biggest settlement in the city’s history — following the 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk.
Ruszczyk, 40, had called 911 to report a possible assault in the alley behind her home when she was shot by former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor, who was responding to her call.
Ruszczyk’s 2017 death drew widespread attention, in the United States and in her native Australia. She had moved to Minneapolis to be with her fiancé and was killed a month before her wedding.
Noor was convicted of third-degree murder and manslaughter. In June, a Minnesota judge sentenced him to 12½ years in prison. Noor has appealed the conviction, CNN affiliate WCCO reported.
Bettie Jones
Local officials in Chicago approved a $16 million settlement in 2018 after a Black woman was shot and killed by police while officers responded to a disturbance call.
Bettie Jones, 55, and her 19-year-old neighbor were shot and killed during a 2015 incident. The teen’s father told CNN he hoped police would help his son when he called 911. Instead, an officer shot the teen dead inside a Chicago apartment building, after Jones reportedly responded to either a knock or ring of the doorbell.
When police came, the teen was charging down the stairs carrying a baseball bat, CNN affiliate WLS reported and an officer opened fire.
Jones was “accidentally struck and tragically killed,” Chicago police said at the time.
City officials approved paying $16 million to Jones’ family, which is considered one of the largest settlements for a police shooting in the city’s history, CNN affiliate WBBM and the Chicago Tribune reported.
Korryn Gaines
A jury in 2018 ruled in favor of the family of a Black woman who was shot and killed by police in Baltimore County, Maryland, awarding more than $37 million in a civil lawsuit.
Korryn Gaines, 23, was shot and killed in August 2016 after an hours-long standoff with police in Baltimore County. She was trying to livestream the encounter with police, authorities said at the time.
Her then 5-year-old son was also shot twice, said Kenneth Ravenell, an attorney for the child and his father, Corey Cunningham.
A judge overturned the verdict last year. Gaines’ family appealed that decision and a special appeals judge ruled in their favor in July, CNN affiliate WBAL reported.
