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07-10-2015, 11:49 PM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- The city has agreed to pay $5 million to the family of a homeless man who was fatally shot by Albuquerque police officers last year.
The settlement was announced Friday by an attorney representing the family of James Boyd, who was killed during a March 2014 standoff near a tent in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains where he had been camping.
Video showed Boyd appearing to surrender. But authorities said Boyd, 38, was schizophrenic and hadn't received proper treatment and video footage showed him holding two knives when he was shot.
The incident sparked angry demonstrations around Albuquerque, with protesters calling for reform after several deadly police shootings.
Boyd's family filed a lawsuit in June 2014.
A special prosecutor announced last month that two police officers will be charged with second-degree murder in the case. The two officers have denied any wrongdoing, but each could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Even before Boyd's death, the Justice Department had been investigating the Albuquerque Police Department over allegations of misuse of force. The Justice Department harshly criticized the department this year and has reached an agreement to improve training and dismantle troubled units.
Shannon Kennedy, a lawyer who represented the Boyd family in the lawsuit, said in a statement that "the family sought justice to ensure that what happened to Mr. Boyd never happens to anyone else, and they believe the city is taking necessary steps to ensure officers are provided adequate training, supervision and support and that Mr. Boyd's death changes policing for the better in Albuquerque."
Albuquerque's chief administrative officer confirmed the lawsuit's settlement, but there was no immediate comment Friday from city officials on the case. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. (http://start.westnet.ca/newstempch.php?article=terms.html/) It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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The settlement was announced Friday by an attorney representing the family of James Boyd, who was killed during a March 2014 standoff near a tent in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains where he had been camping.
Video showed Boyd appearing to surrender. But authorities said Boyd, 38, was schizophrenic and hadn't received proper treatment and video footage showed him holding two knives when he was shot.
The incident sparked angry demonstrations around Albuquerque, with protesters calling for reform after several deadly police shootings.
Boyd's family filed a lawsuit in June 2014.
A special prosecutor announced last month that two police officers will be charged with second-degree murder in the case. The two officers have denied any wrongdoing, but each could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Even before Boyd's death, the Justice Department had been investigating the Albuquerque Police Department over allegations of misuse of force. The Justice Department harshly criticized the department this year and has reached an agreement to improve training and dismantle troubled units.
Shannon Kennedy, a lawyer who represented the Boyd family in the lawsuit, said in a statement that "the family sought justice to ensure that what happened to Mr. Boyd never happens to anyone else, and they believe the city is taking necessary steps to ensure officers are provided adequate training, supervision and support and that Mr. Boyd's death changes policing for the better in Albuquerque."
Albuquerque's chief administrative officer confirmed the lawsuit's settlement, but there was no immediate comment Friday from city officials on the case. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. (http://start.westnet.ca/newstempch.php?article=terms.html/) It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194589869/u/0/f/677045/c/35496/s/4806383e/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img (http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194589869/u/0/f/677045/c/35496/s/4806383e/sc/28/rc/1/rc.htm)
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