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U.S. NEWS Saturday 4 May 2019
Minneapolis to pay $20M to

family of 911 caller slain by cop

By AMY FORLITI loud bang on the vehicle. for shooting without see-
Associated Press Noor testified that he fired ing a weapon or Damond's
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Min- to protect them from a per- hands. They also ques-
neapolis will pay $20 million ceived threat, after he saw tioned whether the loud
to the family of an unarmed his partner's terrified reac- bang was real. Neither
woman shot by a police of- tion, and saw a woman Noor nor his partner, Mat-
ficer after she called 911 to appear at the driver's side thew Harrity, mentioned
report a possible crime, city window, raising her right it to investigators at the
leaders announced Friday arm. scene, with Harrity first men-
— a move that comes just Bennett said Noor's own tioning it three days later in
three days after the former testimony appeared to an interview with state in- In this Aug. 11, 2017, file photo, Johanna Morrow plays the didg-
eridoo during a memorial service for Justine Ruszczyk Damond
officer was convicted of doom any defense of a vestigators. Noor refused to at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis.
murder. civil claim. talk to investigators. Associated Press
The settlement reached "He didn't see a threat," Damond's death angered
with the family of Justine Bennett said. and bewildered citizens in issue of race. Damond was frustrations of those who
Ruszczyk Damond, a dual Jurors on Tuesday found the U.S. and Australia, and white, and Noor is Somali feel that they have been
citizen of the U.S. and Aus- Noor guilty of third-degree led to the resignation of American, leading some denied justice, but said
tralia, is believed to be the murder and second-de- Minneapolis' police chief. It in the community to ques- the circumstances of each
largest stemming from po- gree manslaughter. They also led the department to tion whether the case was civil case is different. Ben-
lice violence in the state deliberated for about 11½ change its policy on body treated the same as police nett said he doesn't be-
of Minnesota. It's believed hours after hearing three cameras. shootings involving black lieve race played a factor
that Mohamed Noor is the weeks of testimony. The fatal shooting and ver- victims. in the size or speed of this
first Minnesota officer to be Damond's family had filed dict were fraught with the Frey said he understands settlement.q
convicted of murder for an a lawsuit against the city
on-duty shooting. and police leaders seeking
Asked about the amount more than $50 million, al-
and speed of the settle- leging her civil rights were
ment, Mayor Jacob Frey violated.
cited Noor's unprecedent- The settlement, which will
ed conviction, as well as be paid by the city's self-
the officer's failure to iden- insurance fund, calls for
tify a threat before he used Damond's family to donate
deadly force. $2 million to a local foun-
"This is not a victory for any- dation's fund aimed at ad-
one, but rather a way for dressing gun violence. City
our city to move forward," leaders commended the
he said. "I do believe that family for addressing the
we will move forward to- broader issue of police vio-
gether, united in the shared lence, particularly affect-
belief that such a tragedy ing communities of color.
should never occur in our The settlement still needs a
city." judge's approval, but Ben-
Bob Bennett, an attorney nett said he anticipates
for Damond's family in Aus- that will happen.
tralia, called the settlement The death of Damond, 40,
amount "transformation- came a month before she
al" and said it "serves as a was due to marry. Noor,
marker for future transgres- 33, who had trained to be-
sions." come a police officer in
Damond, a dual citizen of a mid-career switch, was
the U.S. and Australia, had fired after he was charged.
called 911 late on the night He is in custody awaiting
of July 15, 2017, to sum- sentencing in June. Sen-
mon officers to a possible tencing guidelines call for
rape in the alley behind her as many as 15 years in pris-
house. Noor and his partner on on the murder charge,
were driving down the alley though judges can depart
in a police SUV when they from the guidelines.
say they were startled by a Prosecutors criticized Noor

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