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$2.5M for family of
woman slain by Lima officer
By MEGHAN BARR, Associated Press Writer
Jan. 2010 (AP): The family of an unarmed black woman who was
shot and killed by a white police officer during a drug raid has
settled a wrongful death lawsuit against the city for $2.5
million.
The death of Tarika Wilson, 26, ignited protests and
debate about race relations in Lima, a northwest Ohio city where
one in four residents is black. Wilson was holding her
1-year-old son in her arms when she died. The child was also
shot and later had a finger amputated.
Police Sgt. Joseph Chavalia, who killed Wilson, was
acquitted of criminal charges in her death and has since
returned to work, though he is no longer allowed to patrol
the streets.
Chavalia was part of a SWAT team that raided Wilson's home in
January 2008 looking for her boyfriend, an alleged drug dealer
who later pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. Prosecutors said
Chavalia recklessly fired three shots into a bedroom where
Wilson and her six children were gathered, even though he could
not clearly see her or whether she had a weapon.
The settlement, which must be approved by a federal judge, was
announced Thursday by attorneys representing Wilson's family and
Lima. The money will be placed in a fund set aside for Wilson's
children, city Law Director Tony Geiger said.
Wilson's mother, Darla Jennings, could not be reached for
comment Friday. A phone listing under her name had been
disconnected.
``Darla Jennings, with help from Tarika's sisters, has done an
amazing job of raising these children,'' her attorneys said in a
statement. ``This settlement will give her the resources to help
the children even more.''
The city said the case was settled by the insurance company
acting on its behalf—and is not an admission of liability. The
city believes Chavalia ``acted appropriately'' during the raid,
Geiger said in a statement. The money will be paid by the
insurance company.
Chavalia testified at his criminal trial that he thought his
life was in danger when he fired the shots. He said he saw a
shadowy figure coming from behind the partially open bedroom
door and heard gunshots that he thought were aimed at him. The
gunfire he heard was actually coming from downstairs.
The settlement offers some vindication for Wilson's family, said
Jason Upthegrove, president of the local chapter of the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
``He shot through a baby and killed an unarmed woman,''
Upthegrove said. ``And you've got a city administration standing
behind the statement that he used appropriate action. I just
think that is despicable beyond articulation.''
On Monday, the two-year anniversary of Wilson's death, friends
and family will gather for a candlelight vigil in front of the
house where she died, he said.
``These six kids, the last images they have of their mother, she
was laying in a pool of blood,'' he said. ``Every time you reach
another one of these milestones, it's just a glaring reminder of
what an egregious act that was.''
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