Gaines Family To Receive More Than $36 Million In Damages: Report

TOWSON, MD — A jury has reportedly awarded the family of Korryn Gaines more than $36 million for negligence that led to her death in 2016. Her family had filed a wrongful death suit against the Baltimore County Police Department and Officer Ruby in the death of the 23-year-old woman, with much of the damages requested for her son, who witnessed her fatal shooting by the officer.

More than $36 million will be awarded to the family as a result of the civil suit, including $32 million to son Kodi; $300,000 to each of her parents; and $4.5 million to her daughter, WBAL reported.

"A mother died, a child was unintentionally injured, and police officers were placed in mortal danger," Baltimore County Attorney Mike Field said in a statement Friday afternoon, after the verdict was handed down.

"By any account, this was a tragic situation," Field said. "The county is disappointed with the verdict and is reviewing all of its options, including an appeal."

Gaines, of the unit block of Sulky Court in Randallstown, barricaded herself inside her residence when officers showed up after 9 a.m. on Aug. 1, 2016, to serve arrest warrants for her and her boyfriend, 39-year-old Kareem K. Courtney.

She streamed the encounter on Facebook Live, which showed her bearing a shotgun inside her apartment.

Gaines was wanted for failing to appear related to a March 10 traffic stop when her Toyota Camry had no license plate. Courtney had a warrant related to an assault on Gaines; police later charged him with distributing heroin from the apartment.

Officers kicked in the door when Gaines would not come out, police said.

Attorneys for Courtney and Rhanda Gaines (the mother of Korryn Gaines) reportedly claimed that police did not have legal grounds for entering the apartment, in part because Courtney did not live there.

About an hour after police arrived, Gaines said she would come out if the police put their guns down and backed up from her apartment, according to an account her neighbor provided through her family's attorneys. When police did not retreat, she told them to leave.

The deadly confrontation ended around 3 p.m. after police said Gaines pointed a shotgun at a tactical officer and threatened to shoot him. Authorities said there was an exchange of gunfire; Gaines fired two rounds from the shotgun, but did not strike police.

She was fatally shot and her son — Kodi Gaines, who was 5 at the time — was shot in the left cheek with a round fired by a tactical officer, police said.

The shooter of Gaines was identified by police as Officer Royce Ruby, according to ABC 2 News, which reported the jury found Ruby did not act reasonably in the situation.

After subpoenaing the state's attorney for additional documentation, attorneys for the Gaines family said they determined Ruby "blindly shot her through a kitchen wall" and fired his weapon "maliciously" out of frustration that the standoff had gone on so long as opposed to out of fear, according to WBAL. Attorneys reportedly alleged the officer showed disregard for human life, evidenced by the 23-year-old woman's death and her son being hit in the face and elbow in the shooting, requiring multiple surgeries.

Ruby testified Monday and gave a different account of what happened than he had provided in the incident report and deposition, according to WJZ, saying that Gaines pointed a gun at him and he feared for his life.

To support their claim of negligence, lawyers who cross-examined Ruby pointed out that he did not know where the little boy was when he fired his gun; his bullet flew past the head of another officer; and he did not notify other officers, all of whom said they did not feel in danger at the time, that he was firing, WJZ reported.

Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger reported in September 2016 that the state was not charging Ruby, saying: "Criminal charges are not warranted" against the officer.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

See Also:

• Korryn Gaines Lawsuit Grows, Allegations Added: Report
• Officer Was Justified in Shooting Korryn Gaines: Baltimore County State's Attorney
• Family of Korryn Gaines Files $4M Suit After Fatal Shooting in Baltimore County
• No Charges to Be Filed Against Officer Who Killed Korryn Gaines: Report
• Police ID Officer Who Shot Korryn Gaines
• Boyfriend of Korryn Gaines Facing Drugs and Weapons Charges
• Woman Killed by Police Said They Would Have to 'Murder' Her
• 5-Year-Old Was Injured by Police in Randallstown Standoff: Officials
• Protesters Arrested at Cop Conference in Baltimore

Photo of Korryn Gaines from Baltimore County Police Department.