MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The city of Birmingham in Alabama has agreed to pay $750,000 to resolve a federal civil rights lawsuit stemming from a 2019 incident in which a police officer fatally shot one individual and injured another. This settlement follows an appeal of the original jury award of $4.5 million made nearly a year ago.
A federal jury determined that Officer Aric Mitchell used excessive force in the shooting, which resulted in the death of Jamarcus Moore and injuries to Samantha Hardin, all of whom are Black. According to civil rights attorney Johnathan Austin, this settlement offers a degree of accountability for the victims’ families.
“The financial aspects were not as significant as the jury’s decision that identified the city — and Officer Mitchell specifically — as responsible for Mr. Moore’s death,” Austin stated. “Our clients sought justice, and they received it.” A representative from the city did not reply immediately to requests for further comment.
In August, U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco reduced the initial $4.5 million verdict to $2.75 million. Soon after, the city and Mitchell’s legal counsel contested this decision. Recently, the Birmingham City Council approved the settlement, although there was no public discussion regarding this matter during their recent meeting.
As of now, the settlement agreement has not been finalized. Typically, such agreements might entail a civil court admission of guilt; however, Austin confirmed that there will be no such acknowledgment of liability on the city’s part.
On June 15, 2019, Officer Mitchell attempted to stop Moore’s vehicle after claiming to smell marijuana. Moore attempted to evade capture due to an outstanding arrest warrant tied to drug possession charges. The ensuing police chase lasted about 20 minutes, crossing six city jurisdictions, as indicated by body camera footage and legal documents.
The pursuit ended when Mitchell’s vehicle collided intentionally with Moore’s car. Initially, Mitchell claimed during internal investigations that Moore reached for his weapon, resulting in a struggle before the officer shot him. However, body camera footage appeared to contradict this, showing that Mitchell fired several rounds into Moore’s vehicle from several feet away shortly after exiting his car. Moore was declared dead at the scene, and Hardin, who was in the passenger seat, sustained a broken leg from the shooting.
During the trial, David Rockett, commander of the Internal Affairs Division of the Birmingham Police, indicated that a different outcome could have been achieved in the interaction. He suggested that Mitchell should have issued verbal commands for Moore to exit the car with his hands visible and lie on the ground for arrest. Austin reflected on the settlement, noting that it provides closure for Moore and Hardin’s families after a prolonged ordeal lasting six years.
“Every significant occasion — Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, holidays, and Valentine’s Day — will be marred by his absence, but they won’t have to publicly revisit this tragedy,” said Austin.
