Family Of Slain Teen Killed By Austin Policeman Close To Finalizing Minimum $2M Settlement

AUSTIN, TX — The family of David Joseph — the unclothed teenager killed by an Austin policeman last year after the boy ran toward the officer, ignoring commands to stop — is in final negotiations toward settling a wrongful death lawsuit that could top $2 million, according to a published report.

Three sources close to the negotiations told the Austin American-Statesman that a settlement with the family of the slain 17-year-old is being drafted. While the exact amount of the compensation has not been determined, it is expected to be greater than all other previous settlements in high-profile shootings by Austin police — including the previous $1.25 million paid to the family of Larry Jackson, fatally shot in a police-involved shooting former Detective Charles Kleinert later said was an accident.

The potential payout is marked on the agenda for next week's Thursday council meeting as a discussion point.

Joseph was killed on Feb. 8, 2016, after residents of a North Austin neighborhood called to report him acting erratically. By the time officer Geoffrey Freeman made the scene, the teenager was unclothed.

The ensuing outcry over the shooting focused on the young man's obvious signs of distress given his lack of clothing and his inability to have been carrying a weapon given the lack of clothing. Residents, among them members of the local Black Lives Matter movement, condemning the shooting descended upon City Hall grounds in protest. The family of the slain teenager subsequently filed a lawsuit in June, claiming excessive force.

Freeman was later fired by former Police Chief Art Acevedo, but a Travis County grand jury declined to indict him for the shooting. The officer's encounter with the teenager was captured on dashcam video that was later uploaded to YouTube.

>>> Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman

Photo of David Joseph via Facebook