Korryn Gaines’ Estate Reaches $3M Partial Settlement
After years of battling in court, a settlement has finally been reached with the estate of Korryn Gaines, the 23-year-old Baltimore mother who was killed by police in front of her then 5-year-old son.
CBS Baltimore reports, the family received a settlement of $3 million but the legal claims for Gaines’ son, Kodi, remains unresolved. The child was injured in the shooting.
The family lawyer, J. Wyndal Gordon, said in a statement, “The family finally got a chance to begin the healing process.”
He also added, ”This case is about accountability. It’s about reform.”
The estate was originally awarded $38 million via a wrongful death verdict, but that award was overturned by a Baltimore County Judge.
Gaines was shot and killed after a six-hour standoff with Baltimore County Police. She allegedly pointed a shotgun at officers who were trying to serve her an arrest warrant.
Gaines’ family filed a wrongful death suit claiming officers used excessive force against the 23-year-old and her 5-year-old son, Kodi, who was injured during the tragic incident.
Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Mickey Norman moved to dismiss any civil claims made against the officers, particularly Corporal Royce Ruby Jr., who fatally shot the young mother. According to CBS Baltimore, the judge cited “qualified immunity,” which shields law enforcement and government officials from civil liability when carrying out their duties.
Even though prosecutors declined to indict the officers in September of 2016, the Gaines estate is still pushing for criminal charges.
