$20 MILLION: MN City Council agrees to historic settlement with Justine Damond's family

Following days of settlement discussion, the City of Minneapolis agreed to a $20 million settlement in the civil lawsuit with the family of Justine Ruszcyzk Damond.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced the city will be paying the family of Justine Ruszcyzk $20 million, $2 million of which the Ruszczyk family will donate to the Minneapolis Foundation's Fund for Safe Communities. The City Council voted unanimously on the settlement.

Mayor Jacob Frey held a press conference Friday afternoon regarding the matter.

Tuesday, a jury convicted former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the 2017 shooting death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. Noor is now in custody at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Oak Park Heights.

Following Noor's conviction, the City of Minneapolis began to revisit the $50 million civil lawsuit filed by Damond's father against the city, Noor, his partner Matthew Harrity, former Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau, and current Chief Medaria Arrandondo. The Council was briefed by the city attorney Wednesday on the pending $50 million suit.

Sharing a mix of breaking news, Arizona stories, engaging discussions, and popular culture.

[williamharmon]

WTF....her family gets 20 million and Philando castello family receives nothing. Both murders happen in Minnesota. Theres plenty of raids at wrong addresses that left many innocent people dead...including kids, and there's no f***en pay out. All we get is "I was afraid for my life" statement or i was startled statement by the police. But I wonder why that excuse didn't work for this black officer ? He's charge with murder and the lady family gets 20 million. Her family deserves ever little bit.

[mandylynn]

Send the bill to the Somalian government

[MrSincity]

Let me say this first before everyone goes crazy on me. This family deserves the award amount and more! They lost something that money can never replace.

But... PEOPLE (not only blacks) are killed on a regular by law enforcement and I'm not talking about the jacka$$ that is resisting or being reckless with officers or the public I'm talking about situations like the guy who was sitting on his couch! In his apartment when a cop walked in the apartment thinking it was her own and shot and killed him or the case were a night club bouncer was restraining an active shooter and was killed by police never receive this kind of judgement. This one is a little hard for me to understand on the law/ judgement side of it. I think this is how all of these terrible cases should end. I'm not against cops as they have a very difficult and dangerous duty but some of these guy are to scary and you cant be scary with a finger on the trigger that just gun safety 101.

[mr.noname]

Yesss this is alot of money, but this money cant bring back Jastine. Im glad her family own this one! I hope it leaves a dent in the goverments wallet! Becuse the loss of Justine leaves a dent in my heart. I also pray to GOD this doesnt happen to any one else ever again. This is saddd... I hope the somalis all leave as well!

[lindalonergan]

Black people should listen to this, are your lives been treated the same?

[deeboso]

One thing I have not heard here is the negligence of the victim, upon calling the 911 for assistance, I am sure the operator told her to stay put and they will send a squad. I here no one say anything about her being out and about, wondering around in area of supposed crime. I am not scolding anyone or saying she should not of been there, it is just that any other case the victim has has held some part of negligence. Philip, had a conceal and carry. Someone killed in their own home raided by incorrect info, bad reaction to illegal entry, cell phone a weapon, etc.. This officer has come from a war torn country, maybe he suffered from PTSD, I have seen grown World War 2 and Nam Vets, drop to the floor no matter, when a loud noise goes off, I have even seen a young man drop and shoot a fake air gun, tragic, Is officer Noor possibly a victim also? Just things I have thought about since this happened...In any case 20 million is an awlful lot to hang on the public for something that obviously was a tragedy, I do not think either party ever would of thought and wished for this to happen....

[Jackson]

When I was a young boy, police officers were not allowed to unholster his or her firearm unless there was another weapon clearly involved with that action. Many times, if the suspect was a underaged individual, a shot had to be fired from that suspected weapon in order to CLEARLY identify that as a weapon and not a toy by mistake.
Today, a weapon need not be present.

[jimparlett]

If you look beyond the settlement and trial, American police really are in an impossible situation and something needs to change. There are so many guns in America, that officers have to assume everyone is armed and that their lives are at risk all the time, both on and off duty: it's inevitable then that sometimes they will shoot in defence too early and kill people who are not actually a threat to them, and sometimes too late, and be themselves injured or killed. And as more guns are sold, the situation can only get worse until the policeman's job becomes impossible. Other country's have grappled with this problem, and the solution has been proved countless times - limit guns to those who need them for their job, and for safe use in recreational gun clubs, and require every user to have an NRA safety and competancy certificate, re-validated and paid for every year.. That requires a change in culture, but does America have the political will and courage to grasp the nettle? Are Americans going to let the NRA's pursuit of profits by it's corporate backers overcome the desire of America's parents for their children to live without fear? How many of America's schoolchildren have to come home in body bags before the politicians say "Enough is enough"? Or will it take an armed insurrection, put down by the army or National Guard, for the true intent of the 2nd Amendment to be applied? Only time will tell, but I'm not hopeful.

[slinkiegirl]

SHE IS WHITE OF COURSE A MASSIVE SETTLEMENT WILL BE COMING TO HER FAMILY

[LondonHasFallin]

Family get made you pay out another $2 million to different surrounding programs. BUT these other victims of your police only gett $4 million or less. 🤦‍♂️

[rayrobbins]

The price of a human being is 20 million ? CAN YOU BUILD A HUMAN BEING FOR 20 MILLION ? that IS LESS THAN THE PRICE OF A JET FIGHTER . A HUMAN LIFE IS PRICELESS

[mohamedmow]

Can Attorney General Kieth Ellison and Minnesota Governor can pardoned Officer Noor.

[maddymurnane]

I am sorry but thats more than transformational and the finance gets 1 million, the father and the brother get $7 million and $8 respectively, I can't understand this.
I think that this is unmitigated greed by the family, if she had been killed in Australia the most that the family could have sued for is around $2 million.
It is also important to note that they have not offered additional funds from their own pockets to this fund for the safe communities fund. I felt desperately sorry for them but the damages are disproportionate and they slip away to buy a brand new life.
Unadulterated greed the father and brother should hang their head in shame.
And it is a victory for the pair of them.

[slinkiegirl]

this white lady her death got everyone riled, she got so much sympathy it was sickening, meanwhile shelbie wilks the nasty as cop that killed phillando castille is walking the streets and the family got nothing

[plausibleg.]

I guess we now know who's lives do matter.

[rsy]

This is a bunch of crap. Thug criminal not worth it

[Cutelittlecountrygirl]

Now is the time for the Police department to seriously look at who in coming into the force aka can they handle it? what was their childhood like, for real, check with RED CROSS ETC UN IF FROM Somalia or any WAR TORN COUNTRY. A GREAT PLACE TO START.

[reallybadaim]

Oh and great to see the tax payers there made someone rich. I encourage all of you to try and obtain settlements from your local municipalities. It's very lucrative especially for false imprisonment.

[OviLVR]

Don't forget a Muslim saw an opportunity to kill an infidel and did.