Family, Bernalillo County settle lawsuit for $4 million

[TexasTowelie]

Albuquerque -- The family of a mentally ill woman who was shot to death by Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputies in front of her home during a misdemeanor battery call last summer has settled its lawsuit with the county for $4 million.

It’s one of the largest settlements involving use of force claims by local law enforcement in recent years.

The settlement agreement was signed Wednesday – less than two months after Elisha Lucero’s sister filed the suit against the Bernalillo County Commission and Sheriff Manuel Gonzales.

“For the family, time has stood still since the death of Elisha, and they’re in the wake of very profound grief and unimaginable pain,” said attorney Shannon Kennedy in a phone interview Friday. “However, in lieu of answering the complaint we filed on behalf of the family, the county reached out to us to enter into a mediation, which we did.”

When asked for comment, BCSO spokesman Deputy Connor Otero said the department was aware the case has settled but is “sickened with the amount of the settlement agreement.”

Read more: https://www.abqjournal.com/1428402/family-of-mentally-ill-woman-shot-by-bcso-gets-4m-settlement.html

[abqtommy]

1. If Deputy Otero and his department are "sickened with the amount of the settlement agreement"

maybe they'll stop to think about their policy of use of lethal force...