Jenoah Donald was shot and killed after a traffic stop for a faulty tail light on February 4, 2021
SEATTLE – Shortly before trial, which was set in Seattle federal court, Clark County paid $3.5 million to the family of Jenoah Donald, an unarmed black motorist shot and killed by a deputy sheriff. Today the Clark County Council voted to approve the settlement.
Attorneys Mark Lindquist and Angus Lee represented the family. “Jenoah’s family wanted accountability,” said Lindquist. “This settlement provides accountability and closure.”
Donald, who was on the autism spectrum, was shot and killed after a traffic stop for a faulty tail light on February 4, 2021. Sheriff’s Deputy Boyle told Donald to get out of the car. When Donald did not immediately do so, the deputy punched Donald in the face, broke his nose, grabbed him, and attempted to physically pull him out of the car.
During the struggle, the car was knocked into gear and began rolling forward. The deputy moved outside of the car and fired two shots. One bullet hit Donald in the head. A week later, Donald died in the hospital.
While the deputy reported that Donald had a grip on his vest and could have dragged him to his death, Lindquist and Lee argued that experts rejected this theory. Donald’s DNA was not found on the deputy’s vest.
“This outcome honors Jenoah Donald’s life and underscores a simple truth: when officers ignore their training and resort to needless lethal force, they will be held accountable,” said attorney Lee. “The family’s determination ensures their story will not be forgotten.”
Federal District Court Judge Kimberly Evanston presided over the case. Last year, she denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss, putting the case on course for trial in the Seattle federal courthouse in June of this year.
Lindquist and Lee alleged that not only did the deputy use unnecessary deadly force, but that Clark County’s policies and practices on deadly force were constitutionally deficient.
“Our hope is that accountability will result in better training and more prudent use of deadly force going forward,” said Lindquist.
Mark Lindquist is a former elected Prosecutor for Pierce County, WA. Since 2019 he has been a personal injury lawyer handling aviation cases, including the two crashes of the Boeing 737 Max 8 and the recent door plug blowout on the Max 9, wrongful death cases against governments, including officer-involved shootings, and other incidents involving death or serious injuries. www.MarkLindquistLaw.com
Angus Lee is a former elected prosecutor for Grant County, WA. He handles criminal defense and civil rights cases in Southwest Washington. Lee is a long-time advocate for body cameras and launched the first state-wide voter initiative for body cameras. www.AngusLeeLaw.com
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