The household of a Virginia man who was fatally shot by U.S. Park Police in 2017 has agreed to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit in opposition to the federal government for $5 million, in accordance with a courtroom submitting on Friday.
The anticipated settlement, which awaits remaining approval by a decide, got here practically six years after Bijan Ghaisar, 25, of McLean, Va., was shot 5 occasions by two U.S. Park Police officers who had chased his automotive on George Washington Memorial Parkway after a fender-bender.
Mr. Ghaisar’s mother and father, James and Kelly Ghaisar, will obtain $3.75 million, and their legal professionals will get $1.25 million, in accordance with courtroom data.
Mr. Ghaisar’s mother and father couldn’t be reached for touch upon Friday night, and their legal professionals didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
The Park Police referred inquiries to the Interior Department, which didn’t instantly reply to requests for touch upon Friday.
The lawsuit introduced by Mr. Ghaisar’s mother and father argued that the Park Police officers, Lucas Vinyard and Alejandro Amaya, used extreme drive. The Park Police has jurisdiction over the George Washington Memorial Parkway, close to the nation’s capital.
For greater than 5 years, Mr. Ghaisar’s case was caught in a authorized impasse: First, federal prosecutors declined to cost the officers. Then in 2020, the Fairfax Commonwealth’s legal professional, Steve Descano, charged them with manslaughter, however a federal decide dismissed the case, in accordance with courtroom data. Mr. Descano appealed, however after Mark Herring, the previous Democratic state legal professional basic, misplaced re-election, his substitute, Jason Miyares, a Republican, ordered that the fees dropped.
The Ghaisars be a part of a protracted listing of different households who’ve settled circumstances involving family members killed by law enforcement officials. Last yr, town of Rochester, N.Y., settled a lawsuit involving the household of Daniel Prude, a Black man whose 2020 demise after being restrained by Rochester law enforcement officials roiled a nation already reeling from different police-involved killings.
In December, town of Louisville, Ky., agreed to pay $2 million to settle lawsuits introduced by the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, a Black girl who was fatally shot by law enforcement officials in 2020 and whose demise ignited nationwide protests in opposition to police brutality.
On Nov. 17, 2017, at 7:31 p.m., Mr. Ghaisar was driving south on George Washington Memorial Parkway — a federal highway — in a inexperienced Jeep when he abruptly “stopped in the roadway,” in accordance with a site visitors crash report from the Interior Department.
The automotive behind Mr. Ghaisar then rear-ended him, in accordance with the report, and Mr. Ghaisar drove away.
The driver who struck Mr. Ghaisar’s Jeep obtained a quotation for failing to “maintain proper control,” in accordance with the police report, which didn’t classify the episode as a hit-and-run.
It’s unclear why the police sought Mr. Ghaisar, because the different driver was cited.
A video of the taking pictures launched in 2018 by the Fairfax County Police Department begins about six minutes after the fender bender. It seems to point out the Jeep being pursued by a Park Police automotive, its lights flashing and sirens blaring. A Fairfax County police officer follows behind.
The chase continues alongside a number of residential streets, and at 7:41 p.m., the Jeep stops at a cease signal. The Park Police automobile then wheels round in entrance of it, successfully blocking it.
One officer approaches the Jeep’s driver-side door, the video reveals, with a gun drawn and pointed towards the door’s window. The Jeep strikes barely ahead, and one gunshot rings out.
After a quick pause, three extra pictures are fired because the automotive continues to lurch ahead. Another officer then approaches, and the sound of a fifth gunshot will be heard on the video.
After having come to a cease through the gunfire, the Jeep veers to the suitable — just a few ft towards the cease signal and off the highway. Two extra gunshots will be heard.
Another two gunshots are heard after the Jeep lurches just a few ft farther off the highway and right into a ditch.
Mr. Ghaisar was shot 4 occasions on the left aspect of his head, and as soon as in his proper wrist, in accordance with his household’s legal professionals. He died 10 days later.
Source: www.nytimes.com