Settlement reached in lawsuit over Michael Brown’s death

Ferguson, Jackson and Wilson denied the allegations.

Wilson was cleared of wrongdoing, but the shooting led to sometimes violent unrest in Ferguson, a St. Louis suburb. Wilson resigned from the police force in November 2014, soon after a St. Louis County grand jury announced he would not be indicted. The U.S. Department of Justice also found no grounds to prosecute Wilson.

But the investigation led to a Justice Department lawsuit over racially biased police and court practices. A settlement calls for significant changes in operations, including sensitivity training for officers, adoption of community policing techniques, court reforms and other measures.

The process is expected to cost more than $2 million and could take years.

Webber’s three-page ruling discloses nothing about the settlement amount, but said it is “fair and reasonable compensation for this wrongful death claim and is in the best interests of each Plaintiff,” with the money to be split between Michael Brown Sr. and McSpadden.

Webber also wrote that the agreement “shall remain sealed by this Court and shall be considered a closed record” because disclosure of the information “could jeopardize the safety of individuals involved in this matter, whether as witnesses, parties, or investigators.” He did not elaborate.

Settlements involving public money and public entities such as cities are typically open under Missouri law, but Webber wrote that the value of opening the record “is outweighed by the adverse impact to Plaintiffs.”

Jim Salter, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Settlement reached in lawsuit over Michael Brown’s death

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