WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser and Attorney General Karl A. Racine announced Feb. 21 that the district has reached a settlement with the family of the late Terrance Sterling for $3.5 million, resolving a lawsuit the family failed after Sterling was fatally shot by a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer in 2016.
“When something bad happens, we keep the public’s trust by looking into what went wrong and taking steps to make things right,” Bowser said in a statement. “In the tragic death of Terrence Sterling, a family lost a beloved son and brother, and, thus, we have a duty to bring some sense of closure to his family. This settlement is a step in that direction. We can never say or do anything to bring Terrence back. But we can, and do, resolve to illuminate what went wrong and, with great determination, do what we can to ensure no family faces this pain.”
Racine also released a statement.
“Mr. Sterling’s death was a tragedy,” Racine said. “We resolve to redouble our efforts to promote public safety and trust between police officers and the communities they protect in the district. While no amount of money can replace the life of a loved one, we are pleased that the parties in this case were able to come to a resolution. In this regard, we are especially grateful to former D.C. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Eric T. Washington, who mediated settlement discussions between the district and the family.”