NEWSFLASH! The mother of Philando Castile, a black motorist killed by a Minnesota police officer last year, has reached settlement with the city of St. Anthony, Minnesota regarding his death.
The shooting gained widespread attention after Castile’s girlfriend, who was in the car with her then-4-year-old daughter, livestreamed its gruesome aftermath on Facebook.
[FLASHBACK: Woman Live Streams Boyfriends Shooting… #PhilandoCastile #FalconsHeightsSHooting]
The 32-year-old elementary school cafeteria worker was killed by St. Anthony officer Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop July 6 after Castile told the officer he was armed. Castile had a permit for his gun.
Details below…
The officer who murdered Castille, Jeronimo Yanez, was acquitted of manslaughter and other charges earlier this month. The jury’s decision prompted days of protests, including one in St. Paul that shut down Interstate 94 for hours and ended with 18 arrests.
A post shared by Michelle Brown aka 'ATLien' (@iamatlien) on
The settlement to be paid to Valerie Castile, the mother of the slain victim, who is the trustee for her family in the case, will avoid a federal wrongful death lawsuit stemming from Philando Castile’s death.
According to the StarTribune, the $2.995 million settlement will be paid by the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust, which holds the insurance policy for the city of St. Anthony. It requires approval by a state court, which could take several weeks. The statement from the city and Castile’s attorneys says no taxpayer money will be used to fund the settlement.
Robert Bennett, who along with attorney Glenda Hatchett is representing Valerie Castile, said the idea behind the settlement was to move expeditiously rather than have the case drawn out in federal court, a process that would “exacerbate and reopen terrible wounds.” The settlement will also allow the family, the city and community to work toward healing, Bennett said.
“No amount of money could ever replace Philando,” the joint statement said.
“With resolution of the claims the family will continue to deal with their loss through the important work of the Philando Castile Relief Foundation.”