St. Paul has agreed to pay $9.5 million to the family of JuVaughn Turner, the teenager shot outside the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center in January 2023, bringing a high-profile federal lawsuit to an end. The settlement, announced Wednesday, releases the city from further liability tied to the shooting. Turner survived the incident but suffered a traumatic brain injury and now faces intensive, ongoing medical and caregiving needs. The civil deal arrives on the heels of criminal proceedings in which a former recreation center employee admitted to pulling the trigger.
According to the Star Tribune, city spokesman Matt Wagenius said the $9.5 million payment "fully resolves the lawsuit" and that officials hope the money will help cover Turner’s long-term care. The family sued St. Paul in 2024, arguing the city overlooked warning signs about the employee’s behavior. The settlement comes after a city-ordered review of recreation center policies and practices that was launched in the aftermath of the shooting.
What Happened Outside Jimmy Lee Recreation Center
Prosecutors say Exavir Dwayne Binford Jr., an employee at the Jimmy Lee center, shot then-16-year-old Turner in the head during a confrontation on Jan. 18, 2023, as reported by KSTP. Several other teenagers were present when the dispute erupted, although building surveillance cameras did not capture the shooting itself, according to court accounts. Binford later pleaded guilty and, in 2024, was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. A judge also ordered him to pay roughly $34,000 in restitution to help cover Turner’s medical bills.
Lawsuit And The Family's Claims
The federal lawsuit, filed by Turner’s family in 2024, alleges the city failed to properly investigate earlier complaints about Binford. Those included a 2019 suspension after he punched a visitor and an October 2022 incident in which he allegedly threatened to "Swiss cheese" teenagers, according to the Star Tribune. Court filings say Turner now suffers violent seizures and still has bone and bullet fragments lodged in his body that cannot be removed, injuries that lawyers argue will touch "every aspect of his life." The suit sought damages to cover medical care, long-term support services, and other related losses.
City Response And Policy Changes
In the days after the shooting, Mayor Melvin Carter ordered an independent audit of recreation center safety procedures, training, and discipline, and has pressed for stricter measures to keep weapons out of youth spaces, KSTP reported. City officials say they have been combing through staff practices and discipline records connected to the case. In its settlement statement, the city emphasized a commitment to rebuilding public trust and to continually reassessing safety policies at community facilities.
For Turner’s family, the agreement provides immediate money for medical treatment and daily care, even as advocates note it does not fully put to rest concerns about oversight at city-run sites. The settlement closes the federal civil case against St. Paul, while the criminal conviction and prison sentence for the former employee remain in place. City leaders say findings from the audit and any resulting policy changes will be shared with residents once they are finalized.
