BALTIMORE — Baltimore County officials and attorneys representing the family of Korryn Gaines have finalized a $3 million settlement, the county confirmed Wednesday.
The settlement comes five years after Gaines’ death and resolves claims brought by her parents, daughter and estate, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by The Baltimore Sun.
A county police officer shot the 23-year-old Gaines during a standoff at her Randallstown apartment in 2016, killing her and injuring her then-5-year-old son, Kodi.
Left unsettled are the legal claims brought by attorneys for Kodi, who was shot in the elbow and face and underwent surgeries for his injuries.
In 2018, a county jury awarded the Gaines family about $38 million, one of the largest verdicts ever against a Baltimore-area police department. Most of the jury’s award — $32 million — was for Kodi.
But the next year, a county judge overturned the jury’s decision, finding that the officer, Cpl. Royce Ruby, acted reasonably. Then, a Maryland appeals court ruled the judge erred in wiping out the jury award.
The jury had awarded about $5.4 million to the family members who have now settled with the county. That included $4.5 million to Gaines’ daughter, Karsyn; a total of $607,000 to her parents; and $300,000 to her estate.
The settlement had been reached in recent weeks but was not signed by all parties until Wednesday. It states that the plaintiffs have agreed to dismiss their claims, which “forever ends the Litigation.”
In a statement, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said the county is “committed doing right by the family of Korryn Gaines and this resolution is an important step towards closure and healing for our community.”
“We also recognize Baltimore County’s ongoing work to advance equity and improve accountability,” said Olszewski, a Democrat. “While we have made tremendous progress, we also recognize that more work remains, which is why our administration continues our efforts to rebuild trust, ensure accountable policing, and build a more just future for every resident.”
Earlier this week, Gaines family attorney J. Wyndal Gordon called the agreement “a very amicable and responsible settlement.”
“We took into account the legal challenges as well as the humanity of Korryn Gaines, understanding that both sides had to give up a little,” he said.
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(Baltimore Sun reporter Phillip Jackson contributed to this article.)
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