A $1.5 million settlement has been reached between a St. Paul man and the Minneapolis, Minnesota, police department. The agreement came after the man was shot by police with a marking round during the protest that took place in the killing of George Floyd.
Although 29-year-old Jaleel Stallings had been charged with attempted murder after shooting at officers during the unrest, he has been acquitted of all charges.
Stallings stated during his trial, in July, that he shot at officers in self-defense. Stallings had been shot from an unmarked van by officers who fired a 40mm marking round.
“Fearing for his life, Mr. Stallings fired toward, but not directly at, the van while he went into cover. Once in cover, Mr. Stallings learned that the van contained police officers. He discarded his weapon and surrendered. Despite his surrender, officers beat him for approximately 30 seconds. Nearby officers watched and did nothing to stop the beating,” stated Stallings lawyer, Eric Rice.
Body Camera footage revealed Minneapolis SWAT officers punching and kicking Stallings as he laid on the ground. In his mugshot picture, bruises and a broken eye socket can be observed.
On Tuesday, the settlement was brought to the public in a court filing.
The lawsuit notes that Stallings is a Black man who wanted to be a part of protests in regards to George Floyd’s death. He is also an Army veteran who had a valid permit to carry a weapon.
Rice added that the rounds fired at Stallings are intended to stop a suspect and identify the individual for apprehension by police.
Not only will the city of Minneapolis be responsible to pay the settlement, they must also pay lawyer fees and costs.
“What I was looking for was accountability and justice. I still don’t feel like I’ve received those,” Stallings commented on Tuesday, citing that the suit wasn’t about money.
Stallings has now moved to Texas, out of fear that he would be retaliated against if her stayed in Minneapolis.
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