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Legal News

: Legal Blog Watch

Texas Federal Judge Rips City Council for Rejecting Settlement

By Eric Lipman

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An interesting legal drama is playing out in Austin, Texas, arising out of a fatal police shooting and subsequent civil suit filed by the victim's relatives. Austin Police Officer Leonardo Quintana shot and killed Nathaniel Sanders II on May 11, 2009, leading to unrest in the community amid disputed accounts of the events of that night. While a grand jury cleared Quintana of any criminal charges in connection with the shooting, Sanders' family sued Quintana and the city in federal court for violating Sanders' civil rights. The suit against the city was dismissed but the suit against the officer was allowed to proceed. For all practical purposes, however, the city remained in control of the defense of the case, and after mediating last month, the parties tentatively agreed to settle the case for $750,000. The settlement was subject to approval by the Austin City Council. Though media reports referred to the Council vote as a "mere formality," things did not play out that way. The Council rejected the settlement, 4-3, in a contentious vote last week. Among the four members voting not to approve the settlement was Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, who released a statement explaining his vote. Leffingwell said...

Full post as published by Legal Blog Watch on August 03, 2010 (boomark / email).