The City Council of Chicago is set to revisit a $2 million settlement for the family of Darius Cole-Garrit, who was fatally shot by police in 2014 during a foot chase. After a narrow rejection of the same deal four months ago, aldermen will consider the compensation once more this Wednesday. The initial vote was a considerable pushback against the Law Department under Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
According to Chicago Tribune, the city's corporation counsel, John Hendricks, urged the Finance Committee by saying that this settlement represents the city's best interest, amidst concerns about the disputed facts and the risk of a more significant financial burden should the case go to trial. Finance Committee chair, Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) expressed similar thoughts, stating, "I believe that it’s in the city’s best interest to settle this. This is not like the black-and-white kind of case," which aligns with earlier comments by Ald. Andre Vasquez (40), as covered by CBS News, reflected on the city's substantial legal expenses over the past seven years and suggested a fiscal rationale for the settlement.
The controversial case stems from an incident where Cole-Garrit was shot after allegedly pulling a gun and pointing it at officers. However, conflicting eyewitness testimonies and inadequate fingerprint testing on the recovered gun have complicated the narrative. Some aldermen remain skeptical of the settlement, such as Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), who questioned the plaintiff's confidence in their own case, stated to CBS News, "The fact that they want this settlement, and seem to be averse to a trial, is that a possible indication that plaintiff’s counsel does not have as much confidence as they would like us to think in their chances at prevailing at trial?"
While the incident predated the requirement for body-worn cameras by Chicago police officers, the Independent Police Review Authority earlier deemed the shooting justified. Yet, the lack of video evidence has left room for doubt, and the city's Law Department believes settling is preferable to the uncertainties of litigation. The Chicago Tribune highlighted Hendricks' remarks, who admitted to the presence of "conflicting stories" even among law enforcement witnesses.
In unrelated business, the Finance Committee backed an $8.75 million settlement with the family of Michael Craig, a man killed by a cop in 2021. Craig had sought police assistance during a domestic disturbance, as sourced by both CBS News and the Chicago Tribune.
