Wrongful Death Settlement Now in City Council's Hands

"I know it's not a done deal, but it would absolutely send the wrong message." - Wayne Vincent, President, Austin Police Union

 The Austin City Council must decide if it will accept a tentative agreement between the Sanders' family and the city's legal department of $750,000 for the shooting death of Nathaniel Sanders last year.  The Sanders' family filed a wrongful death lawsuit two months later.  Former Austin police officer Leonardo Quintana, who was fired for a separate offense (DWI), shot and killed Sanders outside of an east Austin apartment complex in the early morning hours of May 11, 2009 when Quintana pulled up to the Walnut Creek Apartments.  Sanders was asleep in the back of a car.  When Quintana approached the car, he said Sanders, who was just waking up, reached for a gun in his waistband.  That's when Quintana pulled his gun and fired.

A grand jury did not indict Quintana, but he was suspended from the police department for failing to turn on his dash camera. 

According to KLBJ Radio, the city's legal department offered the tentative settlement Friday.  The president of the police union, Wayne Vincent, believes the settlement sends the wrong message to the people of Austin, and is an unwise use of taxpayer money.

"I would be a little more frugal with the taxpayers money on this, other than just to make things go away," he said.

The council will decide the next course of action on July 29th.