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THE MOTHER OF Philando Castile, a black motorist killed by a Minnesota police officer last July, has reached a nearly $3 million (about €2.7 million) settlement with the city that employed the officer.
The deal means avoiding a federal wrongful death lawsuit that attorneys said could have taken years to resolve.
The settlement to be paid to Valerie Castile, who is the family’s trustee, was announced today and comes less than two weeks after officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted of manslaughter and other charges connected to her son’s death.
Castile, a 32-year-old elementary school cafeteria worker, was shot five times by Yanez during a traffic stop after Castile told the officer he was armed. Castile had a permit for his gun. The shooting gained widespread attention after Castile’s girlfriend, who was in the car with her then four-year-old daughter, livestreamed its gruesome aftermath on Facebook.
The acquittal of Yanez, who is Latino, prompted days of protests, including one in St Paul that shut down a motorway, Interstate 94, for hours and ended with 18 arrests.
The $2.995 million settlement for Valerie Castile will be paid by the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust, which holds the insurance policy for the city of St Anthony. The plan for distribution of funds requires approval by a state court, which could take several weeks.
Robert Bennett, who along with attorney Glenda Hatchett is representing Valerie Castile, said a decision was made 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,” a joint statement from the attorneys and city of St Anthony 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.
Bennett said the foundation’s mission is to provide financial support, grief counseling, scholarships and other help to individuals and families affected by gun violence and police violence.
Bennett said Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, is not part of the settlement. Reynolds has also hired an attorney, but it’s not clear if she is still planning a lawsuit or has any standing for a federal claim. Reynolds’ attorney did not respond to requests for comment.
Darin Richardson, claims manager with the League of Minnesota Cities, said St Anthony’s insurance coverage is $3 million per occurrence. If Reynolds were to file and win a claim, the city’s remaining $5,000 (about €4,470) in coverage would be paid to her, and St Anthony would have to cover any additional money awarded.
Michael Brown
The settlement happened faster than others stemming from the killings of black men by police officers elsewhere. Last week, a $1.5 million (about €1.3 million) settlement was reached in the case of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old who was killed by a white officer in Ferguson, Missouri. That settlement came nearly three years after the death of Brown, whose parents sued the city.
Bennett said his decades-long relationship with Joe Flynn, the attorney who represented St Anthony in Castile’s case, helped bring a quick resolution. He also said the city of St Anthony has a commitment to make positive changes to their police department.
The city is undergoing a voluntary review by the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, with the goal of improving trust between the police department and the communities it serves.
During his trial, Yanez, 29, testified that Castile ignored his commands not to pull out his gun. The officer said he feared for his life. According to squad-car video that captured the shooting, Castile said: “I’m not pulling it out”, before Yanez fired seven rapid shots. Castile’s last words after the shooting were “I wasn’t reaching …”
Reynolds later said Castile was reaching for his wallet.
The squad car video shows the shooting, but does not show what happened inside the car or what Yanez saw, leaving room for reasonable doubt.
After Yanez’s acquittal, the city of St Anthony said it was offering Yanez a “voluntary separation agreement” from the police department, and he would no longer be an on-duty officer. The department serves the cities of St Anthony, Lauderdale and Falcon Heights, where the shooting occurred.
The status of that separation is unknown.
Today’s joint statement said no taxpayer money will be used to fund Valerie Castile’s settlement. The League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust is a cooperative in which Minnesota cities contribute premiums into a jointly owned risk pool that is used to pay claims.
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He’ll be praying he’ll get Judge Martin Nolan.
There was a petition that went around a few years ago to get rid of him, nothing came of it. The internet outrage towards him is nothing new.
Seen that a year or so ago and when I tried to sign it apparently it was thrown out. Makes me angry really that we pay him to be so incompetent. A real pity.
Lots of people seem to blame the government for just about everything that happens…what about personal responsibility and decency in people, is there a minister for that??
The government has partial blame for their inaction against the incompetence of judges, the lack of prison spaces that allows a revolving door system and not putting in place minimum sentences. This 18 yr old will no doubt have already racked up a ridiculous number of convictions.
Violent crime is allowed if your solicitor can mention to the judge you’ve hard a hard life or a hard year or even a hard few hours. Then it’s ok to stab shoot or just abuse someone.
Judge Nolan the biggest hearted man in the country
At least the suspect can be named this time because he’s legally an adult
Life in jail no excuses
If he’s charged he’ll be named.
Dublin is a lovely place unfortunately these kind of things happen to often. In general Dublin is still safe.
Dublin is an absolute kip,don’t delude yourself
Dublin is not the worst of them, not by a long shot!
bagdad is worse marginally
From Dublin don’t live there now but very sad about how unsafe and violent its become bloody gov’t needs to up its game. #love Dublin
It’s not like the tabloid media would have you believe and there are gangs roaming the streets. The 2 killings this weekend are one that was involved in criminality and the other an argument at a traveller halting site. Sick of the view that Dublin is unsafe, it is if you are up to no good but it’s rare for a member of the general public to be caught up in the violence
bullshit
It’s not unsafe at all Glenoir. It’s a city with nearly 1.5m inhabitants. It has the same problems as every other city but by and large it is very safe but if you want trouble you will find trouble. Last night’s incident involved a row between travellers. The other high profile murders of late have involved serious criminals. Traveller murders are rare so unless you are a serious criminal caught up in a gang feud you should have little to worry about.
What is happening in Dublin. It’s getting out of control!
It’s absolutely crazy. Dublin is getting a really bad reputation. The judges need to come down hard on these people. The 18 year old (if found guilty of murder) should get life in prison.
Am…..that’s the only sentence he can get if found guilty of murder.
Ah Pat, work with me here. A lifetime behind bars. These lads should not see the light of day again. He’ll probably get 15 years and out in 10 for ‘good behaviour’. He should be locked up for the rest of his days, simple as
Getting murder would be hard more likely it would be man slaughter and sure the poor lad has a hard life and jail would very hard for him so 5 years with 3 suspended.
It’s his culchur, don’t blame him!
Wtf is wrong with these people. Ireland is a country with opportunity. I understand if this happens in 3rd world countries.
Dublin City is at a life-or-death crossroads.
Please enlighten us….1.2 Million people in Dublin and 1 is stabbed!! Definitive life or death you idiot!
It’s because none of ye clowns ever leave Dublin in yere tracksuit wearing lifetime. Ye think all cities of 1.2 million in Europe are full of howerya junkies too.
Classy keyboard warrior post, “Dave”.
Dave i was in kildare once Arr ye slack jaw yokel.
I mean outside of Ireland you fool, Lay off the glue for a while.
Back to bed with you Dave, sleep off that hangover :-)
Dave we are not mind readers up in the big smoke..if you mean outside Ireland say outside Ireland Yarp .
Ah Dave ser didn’t most of them have their foreign trip away last Saturday
Must take a fertiliser sack full of Taaaythos and a bucket of Club Lemon to cure your Buckfast and barbiturate hangovers…..another savage shlap of Shudocrem couldn’t go amiss ‘aythur’!! ;~}
isin’t it about time for your daily injection of metadone through your big toe?
Still beats oral injections of tetra delta and golden maverick from some fat sweaty farmers arse with scour and high yields!! Back to the tall ships and sunny splendour of the capital here…..back to tall sh¡theaps and shlurry-puppies for yee!!
Stabbed to death? In English it’s called murder!
Two with no respect for the law or society shot and stabbed by people with no respect for the law or society.
That’s it. Sure haven’t they the two weeks booked for Benalmadena anyway, tis great and ya get the full irish for 3 euro 50.
Out late line dancing last night to Nathan Carter? We Dubs don’t go to Benalmadena. We go to Torramaleenas. It’s only tropickk!! Wrap me up like a wagon wheel.
What has become so sad in this country, is we hardly blink anymore when someone dies violently, gun crime is becoming too common.
# as has knife crime
God knows what the rest of the world must think of Dublin with nearly a shooting or a killing almost daily
Strange how you point that out, but fail to blame the ‘settled’ community for the growing number of murders this year.
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