With AAP.
The family of murdered Australian life coach and yoga instructor Justine Ruszczyk Damond will receive a record $US20 million ($AU29 million) in a settlement from the city of Minneapolis.
Ms Damond’s father, John Ruszczyk, and brother Jason are satisfied with the payment because it would be “transformational” in forcing change to policing in the US city, the family’s lawyer says.
Ms Damond, 40, formerly of Freshwater in northern Sydney, was shot dead by Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor on July 15, 2017 after calling 911 to report a possible rape in her neighbourhood.
After two years, we finally know the truth behind the death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, Mamamia’s daily news podcast, The Quicky deep dives into the history-making trial.
A jury found Noor guilty of Ms Damond’s third-degree murder on Tuesday after just a day of deliberations.
“Quiet satisfaction,” the family’s Minneapolis lawyer Bob Bennett said in describing the Ruszczyks’ reaction to the settlement. “I think they achieved the goals of both getting an amount that is undeniably significant and undeniably transformational.”
The settlement calls for the Ruszczyks to donate $US2 million to a Minneapolis foundation aimed at addressing gun violence.
The family had originally sued the city for $US50 million.
“This is not a victory for anyone but rather a way for our city to move forward,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said on Friday.
Top Comments
What a bizarre position for the family- you go through such trauma and lose someone you love, then have this horrible court proceeding, then end up really rich. And probably feeling like you need to set up a charity or foundation with all this money you never would have wanted.